


The Imposter and his Bride

by Lambardo



Category: Corpse Husband - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF, sykkuno - Fandom
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Complete, Developing Friendships, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, First Time, Forced Kiss, Forced Marriage, I promise, M/M, Mild Blood, Mild Identity Reveal, Potentially triggering for self-harm, Protectiveness, Self-Harm, Some Text Conversation, Spirit World, Threats and such made by antagonist, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Threats of Violence, Yôkai, antiques, smut at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-20
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:20:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 52,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28186773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lambardo/pseuds/Lambardo
Summary: Will Corpse be able to save Sykkuno from his forced marriage to the yokai haunting his bonsai tree? It's not looking great, considering they live right next to one another and Corpse hasn't even told him.Any questions? Oh, you read the tags? Yeah, stay tuned to find out what that's about.
Relationships: Corpse Husband/Sykkuno (Video Blogging RPF)
Comments: 274
Kudos: 592





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Using all usernames because these guys are characters for the purpose of this fic. If any real people state they are uncomfortable with anything of this sort, I will delete immediately.
> 
> This fic came to me in a feverish binge while I was supposed to be studying for some final exams. I literally could not get it down fast enough. All the scenes were just attacking- which is how a lot of my fics happen to me but this one was just so quick. (Goddamn Among Us streams). Like 25k in a week. I’ll be staggering release though as it needs some serious editing and I haven't finished the ending yet. 
> 
> Also, to anyone who noticed that I posted, and wanted this to be part six in my Danny/ Drew/ Kurtis series, I apologize. But if any readers like my writing style, maybe check out that series (No supernatural themes but more smut).

“Corpse, wait, I’m scared.” Sykkuno whispered, eyeing the thin edge of the blade, poking out from it’s safety yellow sheath.

“You’re scared?” Corpse asked, raising a dark brow, as he brought the razor to the skin above his wrist. He kept away from the thick vein in his forearm, and from the blue-ish ones under his skin. No he wanted it over the flesh, a muscle he could flex so it’d be easier to cut. The skin depressed and suddenly Sykkuno’s hand was over his.

“Uhm- wait, no, wait,” Sykkuno stuttered. “Corpse, you can’t-”

“Why?” Corpse said, Sykkuno hadn’t commented, but he had to have noticed that this arm already had marks, up by his elbow and down his bicep.

“I-” Sykkuno’s eyes lifted up from the knife, to meet his. They were so lovely, and dark, like the night, out his bedroom window. “I can’t. It- it’s making me sick.”

“Shut your eyes then.” Corpse said, the words tugged on his insides. Made him want to put the blade down, and shush the smaller man against his chest. But he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t because he was doing this for Sykkuno.

If someone had approached Corpse, last year, in his self-imposed isolation. If, in spite of that, they’d come into his room as he laid alone in his bed unable to move his arms, or see, or really feel anything but pain, and told him his future. If they told him:

He was going to be clean from the harm,  
He was going to be making it big streaming,  
That his new place, the one he was set to move into in the fall,  
Was going to be down the hall from someone,  
Who would become the most important person in his life,  
And that guy would need to drink his blood,  
So he didn’t turn into a tree spirit’s bride.

Corpse wouldn’t have believed him, obviously. Because wtf, on every level. Just what the actual fuck kind of dumbass prediction for the future would that have been.

Especially that last part.

Corpse moved his arm and the knife back and away from Sykkuno’s hand, sucked in a quick breath and pressed down. Just like meat on the cutting board, just pressure, a sting, little brain signals that said: ‘hey, maybe don’t do that.’

_Leave it on read._ Black thumbnail to steady it. _Push and drag ‘til you see red._

“C-Corpse.” Sykkuno’s hand was over his mouth. Not to cover a giggle but to cover a face contorting in disgust. Corpse lowered the knife. The blood was swelling along the line. He lifted his arm offering it to Sykkuno. He shook his head knuckles still over his lips, as if that would make it so they didn’t need to do this.

“Please Sy,” 

\--

For Sykkuno, all this started at an estate sale. For Corpse, it all started on the elevator.

At least in Corpse’s mind it started on the elevator. He’d met Sykkuno online, through a friend, they played games together, streamed together, had fun, talked a bit, but never one on one. And that probably would have been the full extent of it, until the elevator.

Corpse was waiting for it to come. He wore a dark facemask and an equally dark eye-patch half covered by his hair. His dark outfit would have completed the look, if he didn’t have a bright white plastic bag with stacked takeout containers in his hand.

Someone stood back and to his left, the side where he had peripheral vision. They stayed six feet away, but carried a parcel, nearly as large as their torso. When the elevator dinged, Corpse stepped on first since he was closer, and hit the number five.

The other man rested his box against the wall of the elevator, and turned his head to look at Corpse. 

“Uhm, could you please hit-” The man paused when he saw five was already lit up. “Oh,” he giggled awkwardly. “Five. Same floor.”

_This guy sounds like Sykkuno._

That was Corpse’s first thought, then his eyes settled on the face, and it was shockingly familiar. Because it was Sykkuno. 

Sykkuno with hair that wasn’t quite as neat as it was on stream, and wearing a knit sweater that clung to arms struggling to handle this awkwardly sized cardboard box. He was a couple inches shorter than Corpse, which wasn’t super surprising. What was surprising was that he was there standing in the same elevator as him.

And he was way cuter in real life- _what the hell?_

By the third floor, Corpse was past the shock. By the fourth he was panicking over what he should do about this new information. If he spoke, Sykkuno would know. They were sort of friends, it wouldn’t be that weird, would it? But his social anxiety was putting all sorts of weird terrifying thoughts in his head, and he couldn’t seem to open his mouth.

Then they were at their floor. This time, Corpse let Sykkuno out first. Sykkuno passed right by his unit, to the next door over. It was unreal. Corpse almost forgot to get off the elevator, he was so astonished. Sykkuno lived right next door to him.

Sykkuno fumbled his keys, but managed to get his door unlocked, and to angle the package in through the entry. Corpse stepped off the elevator. Once Sykkuno and his box were out of sight, Corpse went for his own door.

He set his food down on the table and stared at it for a long time. It was cold by the time Corpse finally got into it. He ate his noodles, and his every thought was consumed by Sykkuno. What was in that box? Was he eating dinner too? Should Corpse say something to him? Would it be weird that he didn’t reveal himself at that moment?

And those same thoughts plagued him for the next week. He ended up in an Among Us lobby, a couple days after ‘the elevator’ and Sykkuno mentioned receiving a huge care package from his mom. On his stream, he showed off the scarf that came in the box. It was a pale pink, and he wore it draped loosely around his neck.

And Corpse had kept Sykkuno’s image open in a little corner of his screen while they played. He spent more time looking at it than the chat, and every time it made his stomach squirm. It was probably because he felt bad for not coming clean to Sykkuno. Definitely not because that pale pink looked really cute on him.

Corpse had played really well, and had more fun than he may have ever had in a game of Among Us. It was strange, obviously he knew Sykkuno was playing the game with him, but there was something about seeing him, and then also knowing that video feed came from the apartment right next door that made him feel almost high, the entire time. 

Which then made it even harder for him to get to sleep, all night he thought about Sykkuno, where his bed might be in the room, how his kitchen looked compared to Corpse’s. Whether he kept the scarf on after the stream ended. Surely he would have to take it off to go to bed. Corpse’s mind did that thing where it let down it’s guard and let these half-dream thoughts slip in with the conscious ones. 

In his head, Sykkuno’s hands took the scarf off his neck, and carefully draped it over Corpse’s shoulders. Corpse could almost feel his fingers, soft and light wrapping it, and arranging it so Corpse could bury his face in it if he needed. And it smelled like Sykkuno, and his face was close enough that Corpse could see just how wide and dark his pupils were over the deep brown of his irises. And his high cheek bones, and his pretty skin. And then Sykkuno was fisting the loops of the scarf and pulling just gently enough that it made it hard to breathe.

Corpse woke with a gasp. He was hard. 

And Sykkuno was right next door. 

Fuck.

\--

Corpse endured for a full month before he gave in and messaged Sykkuno. He didn’t tell him the thing, that they were neighbors. He just private messaged him to say… Corpse had no idea what excuse he’d used, but whatever it was turned into way more than Corpse was ready for. It started slow and shallow, then got deeper and faster, like a river sweeping him away.

He told Sykkuno about his family,  
His health issues,  
His relationships that hadn’t worked out,  
His anxiety,  
Way too much

Over the course of a couple of months, Corpse grew to trust Sykkuno more than he trusted himself, and in the midst of that, was when things started for Sykkuno.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had trouble deciding what the best way to format messages to be and this is what I've decided on. Whoever is left justified is who's POV we're in. So in this case, it's Sykkuno's POV. There will be more sections with messaging later.

Hey Corpse :)

_hi sykkuno_

That last game was so clean!

_thanks_

That vent kill, then disappearing again. It was like the perfect frame. With Rae being the only one in med bay. The perfect frame.  
Oops, repeating myself  
Haha, don’t mind me

_you’re good. I like when you ramble_

That’s good cause I ramble a lot.

_enjoy your dinner_

How did you know my food was here?  
Probably because I normally reply to you quicker than that.

_maybe I’m psychic_

Well, if you’re psychic, then what am I eating?

_i’m not that psychic_

Guess!

_pho_

That’s not fair.  
You just guessed what I always get.

_or I’m psychic_

Toast is taking me to this estate sale happening at a big mansion after this.

_cool  
gonna buy some rich people stuff?_

Oh yeah.  
Candelabras  
Fancy art  
Antique sex toys  
*seals too  
Omg

_i’m crying  
sykkuno  
don’t buy antique sex toys_

It was autocorrect!  
I swear!

_when have you been typing ‘sex toys’_

I haven’t!

_okay sykunno_

Corpse, you have to believe me.

_i believe you sykkuno_

I have to go  
Toast is here  
I’m not buying anything like that  
Or talking about them  
With anyone  
Except you

Not that we’re talking about…  
I gotta go  
Talk to you later

_bye sykkuno ;)_

Sykkuno quickly glanced in the mirror by the door to make sure his face wasn’t too flushed. His cheeks were a bit pink, but maybe he could claim it just looked like that because of the scarf, or the bite of the wind. Not that there was too much bite, considering it was January in LA.

He locked his door, and passed the cute eye-patch guy’s door on his way down to the elevator. Cute was the wrong word. He was dark, intimidating, kind of sexy in a terrifying way. But they’d never even spoken. And Sykkuno didn’t have time to think about him, because Toast was already calling his phone again. He answered as the elevator door closed. 

“I’m coming down, right now.” 

With his phone still in his hand, Sykkuno looked down at his last message from Corpse and he smiled subconsciously. He only noticed he was doing it when the elevator doors were sliding open on the first floor. Toast was waiting for him outside in a sleek white Honda. They exchanged greetings, laughed about a league update, all while Sykkuno’s mind is still firmly stuck on his silly little conversation with Corpse. 

He kind of wished they were still playing together. 

“Okay, Sykkuno, do you remember the plan?” 

Sykkuno shook his head. “I don’t think you ever mentioned a plan.”

“Well, I’m mentioning it now, so pay attention.” Toast said, as he shoulder checked, before merging onto the highway.

“You find the collectibles, act all innocent. Be all like: ‘these look nice, I’d like to buy them all for $20.’ You know, just be yourself. Then, I’m going to swoop in like an expert on the value of such things, and I’ll make them an offer that’s way above yours but way below market value. Then we bolt before they even know what hit them.”

“Uhm- okay.” Sykkuno replied, giggling to himself behind his hand. “How do you know there’s going to be collectibles there?”

“I got a guy, an informer.”

“And what sort of collectibles exactly? Are they valuable or something?”

“Very valuable.” Toast affirmed.

Sykkuno laughed again. “Okay, you just tell me what I need to do.”

“Actually, can you find something else you want to buy? Some random thing?” Toast suggested, mischievously. “Then act like you just want to add on the figurines all casually. Oh yeah, this is going to be good.”

Sykkuno smiled and watched the city whip by out the window. He liked that toast was excited, and his mind drifted to his discussion of antique sex toys with Corpse. Looks like he was going to have to buy some fancy rich people stuff after all.

They reached the mansion, and were not the only ones there. Toast ushered him through the crowd in a hurry to execute their plan. He found the items he was looking for in a bedroom, the shelves were backlit, really showing off the previous owners collection. In each little square sat a different figure, some from anime, others from games. Toast stayed to guard their planned purchase, while Sykkuno shopped for whatever ‘thing’ he was going to buy in addition to his offer on the figurines. 

The first thing he spotted, that he had any interest in, was a cute little juniper bonsai, in a minty green pot. It really did look like a tiny tree. But it also looked thirsty, and like it might be due for a trim. Sykkuno almost went to the bathroom, just to get the little guy some water. Perhaps with the estate sale going on, it had been forgotten about.

“Care to make an offer on it?” A man in a suit asked. 

“I- I don’t know.” Sykkuno stuttered, surprised to find the stranger behind him. “I just thought it looked a little dry is all.”

“My great uncle claims it to be over a hundred years old, but with no way to verify that, we can only sell it at market price. I’m sure he’d be happy to know it ended up in the hands of someone so attentive.”

Sykkuno, glanced down at his feet. “You- you don’t have a price in mind?”

“Nope, everything is for sale, and we’ll entertain most prices.” 

“Well, if it’s over a hundred years old…” Sykkuno thought out loud. “It has to be worth at least a hundred, right?”

“Is that your offer? One hundred dollars?”

“I guess, uhm, unless that’s too low.” 

“The last offer I got was for seventeen dollars, so I’m perfectly happy with a hundred, if that’s what you’re offering.”

Suddenly a little old man was bustling in, his eyes were dark and upturned at the edges like Sykkuno’s. He said something to the other man in what sounded like Japanese.

“Mr. Takeda felt the need to reiterate that this bonsai was passed down from his grandfather. It is very valuable.” 

Sykkuno, suddenly couldn’t tell if he should have bid lower, or if he should be bidding higher. Was he being scammed, or was he getting something valuable at a more reasonable price? He couldn’t understand the old man, Mr. Takeda and he was useless at bartering, but looking at the little tree, Sykkuno realized that he really did want to take it home. 

“I- uhm, I will take it, for a hundred. If that’s okay.” 

The well dressed man smiled at him. “It’s sold then.” 

Then he turned to Mr. Takeda and said something in Japanese. The old man nodded, looking somewhat resigned, and he shuffled off to go watch more of his family’s belongings be sold.

Sykkuno suddenly remembered Toast and the mission he wasn’t supposed to forget. “There were some other uh- toys I was looking at. Could I make an offer on those too?”

“Most certainly. Let us go have a look.” The man placed a little sold sign, next to his bonsai, and together they went to find Toast.

Whose plan went off without a hitch. Sykkuno ended up spending more on his little tree, than Toast did on at least fifteen different figurines that were worth well over the eighty five dollars he paid for the lot. Toast loaded his purchases into the backseat of his Honda, while Sykkuno sat with the bonsai on his lap in the front seat.

Toast scolded him for failing to haggle, and for choosing something so expensive for his throw away purchase, but Sykkuno didn’t have the heart to regret it. He was just happy that his new friend was coming home with him. And he took a picture of himself with the juniper on his lap, to send to Corpse, to prove that he did indeed buy rich people stuff at the estate sale, and also maybe to verify that he did not buy any antique sex toys.

\--

A picture came through on discord. Sykkuno’s soft smile, snugged in that goddamn scarf, with a tiny little tree in his lap. Sykkuno wasn’t the type to show off purchases, which meant he was sending this photo because he was genuinely excited about his new plant, and wanted to share it with Corpse.

Corpse got the photo, and realized he desperately wanted to see Sykkuno in person, with his little tree. How long would it take Sykkuno to get back to their building?

How long could Corpse loiter in the lobby, pretending to get his mail, before someone called the cops? He just wanted to ride the elevator with him, maybe hold the door for him while he brought the little tree up to his apartment. Corpse laid there contemplating, then, at the last second he went for it.

\--

The hot guy was getting his mail when Sykkuno came in with his new plant. He pressed the button for him on the elevator too. Sykkuno could see so little of his face, it might have been premature to call him hot, but he had thick dark hair, and the skin around his one exposed eye was unmarred, He had a nice jawline beneath the mask. And his hoodie was unzipped this time, exposing a black t-shirt over a tightly toned chest and stomach. Sykkuno was like eighty percent sure he was hot. 

Which was why he couldn’t seem to find his voice around the guy. 

He was like the little tree in his arms. His tree couldn’t talk, but it seemed happy to come home with him. Sykkuno also couldn’t talk, but was very happy that he got to ride the elevator with his attractive neighbor.

Sykkuno reached his door, then paused as he realized that he had no idea where his keys were. He looked down at his bonsai, which was using all his hands. Then his neighbour was standing there, one palm open, offering a hand. 

“D-do you mind- uh holding him?”

The stranger shook his head, and Sykkuno saw his eyes crinkle with a smile behind the mask. He handed off the plant to his neighbor, and fished his keys out of a pocket. Then unlocked the door, and turned back to the handsome masked man.

“Th- thanks.” Sykkuno stuttered, realizing he had to get closer than he’d ever been to the man, in order to take back his tree. He really was intimidating, or intoxicating to be around. Whatever it was, his presence made Sykkuno’s heart beat in a weird way. 

“No problem.” He handed back the tree, and retreated, back to his door. 

_His voice sounded like Corpse’s._

And Sykkuno looked after him perplexed, as he stood in his open doorway, hands tight on the tray of his bonsai.

\--

Once Sykkuno had shut the door, he suddenly became certain that he hadn’t heard what he thought he’d heard. It couldn’t have been Corpse, he’d sent Corpse a picture of his tree. He said it was nice. He wouldn’t act like a complete stranger. There’s no way Corpse could have not recognized him. 

His neighbor must've just had a similar voice. Or maybe he had a sore throat, and Sykkuno was imagining it because he’d been playing with Corpse too much lately. 

Unless that was just how his hot neighbor actually sounded, which would be… problematic. He was already having trouble keeping his crush on his emo neighbor separate from his feelings towards his friend Corpse. Somehow his mind just kept smushing them together. He’d catch a glimpse of his neighbor paying a delivery driver, then when he played with Corpse later that night, his voice would leave Sykkuno’s head all fuzzy. They were two different people though. One was his friend, one was hot, and that was it.

Sykkuno struggled to get that set in his head, while he got his new plant trimmed, watered, and set up in a sunny spot by the window. “There you go, little buddy.” Sykkuno whispered, as he soaked the roots. “Welcome to your new home.”

And Sykkuno felt the warmth of the ancient tree’s approval.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates might become less frequent if I start to catch up to where I'm at with writing but I finished Ch. 12, so I figured I could post Ch. 2. Haha. Estimating 15-18 chapters total. Thanks for reading! Love the comments, Will try to post again around Christmas but in case I don't get a chance, Merry Christmas!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas!! I'll try to update again boxing day.

They were streaming when Sykkuno mentioned that his neighbour sort of sounded like Corpse. And Corpse nearly had a heart-attack. 

He kept his cool, just pushed his lips closed, and shushed his fluttering heart. He heard Sykkuno explaining, to his own stream, that it wasn’t actually that similar, that the guy probably just had a cold or something. Which sort of soothed Corpse’s nerves but left him with a strange phantom sense of disappointment as well. 

And he could not for the life of him figure out why.

Then after that stream, it took almost all of Corpse’s willpower not to ask Sykkuno about this neighbour. Even though he was absolutely desperate to. Four messages, typed up and then deleted.

_so… your neighbour sounds like me?  
what would you do if it really was me? ;)  
would you be mad that I’d known and kept it from you?  
or would you drag me inside to show off how happy your new bonsai is?_

Sykkuno had been keeping Corpse appraised on the little tree’s progress. He sent almost daily pictures showing the tree’s new hair-cut, and how nice it looked in the early morning light that streamed through his curtains. Corpse hated the early morning light that streamed in from that window, but suddenly it was seeming kind of nice the way it mocked his inability to sleep.

Corpse stared at his phone, it was late. Sykkuno was probably asleep. Corpse was lying in bed, stripped of his sweatpants, wishing he was asleep. Or that Sykkuno was awake to entertain him through the boredom of trying and failing to sleep.

And a notification dropped down from the top of the screen.

Are you still up?

The dopamine hit was spectacular, better than streaming, or releasing music, or whatever else he attempted chasing that high. Sykkuno messaging him was like a needle right to the base of his skull, delivering the hit straight to his brain.

_always, what’s up?_

I can’t sleep.

_how come?_

I don’t know  
Okay, maybe I do know  
Don’t make fun of me 

_i would never_

I’ve been getting this weird feeling at night  
Like I can hear someone breathing  
Or feel someone moving around

Corpse was immediately concerned. Not only for Sykkuno but for both of them. On the other hand, he hadn’t heard anything strange, and he was up at most hours. But being awake for him wasn’t always the same as being aware, sometimes he was awake with his brain half asleep from the deprivation. 

_that’s scary.  
can someone stay with you?_

I don’t have a spare room

Corpse had suspected as much, but it was interesting to have it confirmed. The only other room besides the bedroom and the bathroom in his apartment was the ‘den’ which wasn’t big enough to hold a bed, but it worked as an office. He wondered if Sykkuno streamed in his den too. The thought made him smile. 

_leave your camera running,  
catch the ghost on film_

Haha  
I really hope it's not a ghost

_What about your neighbours?_

Neighbours, plural. Not specifically that one neighbour. He could ask that, couldn’t he? That was a totally normal thing to ask. Right?

Oh um, I’m sure it’s not worth bothering them about.

_are you sure?  
maybe they’ve heard something_

Why was he doing this? Why was Corpse encouraging Sykkuno to talk to his neighbours? What if Sykkuno came and knocked on his door right now? He’d die, dematerialize into a thin mist, faint. Probably none of those, but if he had an actual conversation with him. If he said more than two words, surely Sykkuno would realize the truth. 

And Corpse was not ready to face the consequences of his actions.

My one neighbour, the one that I thought sounded like you  
He’s kind of intimidating

Corpse laughed out loud and experienced the slightest hint of terror at the direction the conversation was taking, but overlaid with that fear was curiosity, the kind that would drive you to read your own obituary.

_intimidating how?_

He’s uh really good looking

Corpse rolled his head back and squeezed his eyes shut. Fuck. It felt incredible. Like hitting a bong packed with good brain chemicals. It even left him a little hazy, and halfways to hard. With an ego and a body as battered as his, this sort of compliment, this thing that was so pure and so genuine, because there was no way Sykkuno knew it was him. It was just so goddamn good, and Corpse wanted Sykkuno to knock on his door right that second, and he wanted to come clean about the whole thing. 

As well as confess some other things.

Ah! That’s so embarrassing to admit  
Don’t tell anyone. 

_i won’t  
you don’t have a crush on him, do you?_

Suddenly Corpse was faced with the strangest dilemma. If Sykkuno did have a crush on his neighbour, and not Corpse, the person he’d been talking to all these months, should he be jealous? Or rather, should he be hurt that Sykkuno didn’t have feelings for his words and his voice? But could he reasonably expect a person to fall for only messages and an unusually deep voice? Would Sykkuno fall for someone that was only a body and a bit of a face? Maybe it was good that Corpse hadn’t revealed himself, maybe if Sykkuno had realized his attractive neighbour was like him, like the person Sykkuno had actually gotten to know. Maybe that would have killed the crush, then and there?

Corpse shook off the loosely connected thoughts. Sykkuno didn’t say anything about crushing on his neighbour, only that he was ‘good-looking’ which was a totally objective statement. Corpse almost went back and deleted his last question, but Sykkuno was already typing.

No, I don’t even know him  
There’s someone else I like  
Anyways, all this is probably just my mind playing tricks on me  
I’ll stop bugging you so you can sleep

Corpse wasn’t fast enough to stop him. Sykkuno only found his neighbour, Corpse, objectively attractive? Who did he like then? What was he going to do about the scary noises? Was he still lying awake, just on the other side of the drywall? 

With his mind this full Corpse was never ever going to get to sleep. 

“Fuck.” He actually said it aloud, and dropped his phone on the pillow next to his head. Then he realized he should at least say goodnight. 

_you’ve never bugged me :)  
msg if you get spooked  
goodnight sykkuno_

\--

Sykkuno desperately wanted to message Corpse. The feeling was growing and pressing. He was pretty sure his resting heart rate was about twenty beats higher than usual, and that did not make it easy to sleep. 

But he’d come a little too close to confessing something he really wasn’t prepared to confess. Corpse was asking too many questions, and Sykkuno hated lying to him, so he ended the conversation and now he was laying there thinking about asking his hot neighbour if he could come and cleanse the bad vibes from his house, so that he could get some sleep.

He huffed a sigh, and shut his eyes, but that only made him more uncomfortable. The shadows shifted when his eyes were closed. Sykkuno briefly wondered if there was maybe something wrong with him. If he was perhaps developing some sort of paranoia, if he was going crazy.

He heard a clunk, like a cabinet shutting in the kitchen. And he pulled the covers up over his head. What had he done to infuriate this ghost? It was just like phasmophobia, whispers, a presence. Sykkuno almost considered setting up a camera like Corpse recommended. 

But he didn’t. 

No, Sykkuno made it through the night and the next few nights were better. Sykkuno still felt the presence, but it wasn’t so… active. He was still having trouble sleeping, on account of the ghost, but messaging Corpse got him through the worst of it.

Sykkuno kept meaning to thank Corpse. He really was an awesome friend, staying up late offering to play games with Sykkuno until he was able to settle himself into sleep. He even listened while Sykkuno frantically worried that maybe it really was all in his head and that he was developing some sort of psychosis.

_i don’t think you’re having a psychotic break  
i’ve been around people who see and hear things that aren’t there  
it’s just not you  
also  
people with psychosis don’t usually think they have psychosis_

Corpse made him feel like he wasn’t crazy, but at the same time, neither of them could find an explanation as to where the noises came from. Sykkuno really did leave a camera running in the living room overnight, and as he fast-forwarded through the footage over the course of an hour all he saw was one book fall off his coffee table, and no matter how many times he replayed it, he couldn’t figure out why. He’d even sent the clip to Corpse to verify what he saw, and Corpse agreed it fell off for absolutely no reason.

Which was to say, Sykkuno had come very close to believing that he was not in fact losing his mind. Until he actually did.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man oh man, this chapter is a romp!

It was midnight, a full moon. Light poured in through his bedroom window, like the moon was right outside, tapping at the glass, asking if Corpse could take a break from staring at his ugly three pronged light fixture, and look at it instead. But the three little cupped lights over his bed were so much more fascinating. Each faced a different direction, like they were mad at each other. Why did the designer select it? It really didn’t add much to the overall aesthetic. What would happen if he spun them all around so they faced one another, would they all gasp in surprise that their friends had been right beside them the whole time? What if just one knew, and the other didn’t? How would they feel about that?

A scream shattered the thought.

It startled Corpse, and his heart took off. His mind narrowed to listening, finding the threat, or maybe the threatened. There was another, this one not so much a scream as a raised voice. Corpse’s bedroom backed onto Sykkuno’s main room. It came from their shared wall. 

Sykkuno screamed. 

And Corpse was up, out the door, feet bare, heart pounding a violent rhythm in his ears.

Corpse got all the way to where his hand was hovered over the handle to Sykkuno’s door before he froze. He didn’t have his face mask. There were more reasons that he couldn’t go in there. He couldn’t think of them but he knew they were there. 

Then there was a crash. Corpse could hear it clear as day, right on the other side of the door. Corpse’s wrist flicked the handle it was locked. His fist came up automatically. A few sharp knocks.

“Sykkuno.” He said, his voice not coming as strong as he wanted it to. There was a long drawn out second of silence, then Corpse was forced to let go of the door handle, as it swung inward. 

Revealing Sykkuno, eyes wide and red-rimmed with terror. There was a mirror on the floor, half of it shattered. Corpse stepped in. Sykkuno was in plaid pajama pants and a ribbed cotton sweater. He was trembling, one arm clenched around his stomach. Corpse’s concern pitched.

“Sykkuno, are you okay?” 

Sykkuno’s eyes somehow got even wider. He shook his head. He shook his head and backed into the wall, bumping into it as if he had no idea it was there. 

“I-I’m sorry if I-I woke you.” Sykkuno’s knees buckled and he slid down the wall crumpling like his core had given out. Corpse got down on one knee, he pulled Sykkuno’s arm away from his stomach and found no injury. 

“Are you hurt? What happened?” Corpse stood again to look around, he couldn’t see anything amiss, no shattered window, no intruder.

“I- I need my phone.” Sykkuno muttered. His eyes started to water. 

“Do you need to call the police?”

“No, I need to call my friend,” Sykkuno’s voice was low, terrified. “Something is wrong with me.”

Corpse didn’t try and argue with him, he just did what Sykkuno asked. He strode into the bedroom, searching for the phone. He found it on Sykkuno’s pillow. He grabbed it quickly, and returned it to Sykkuno. “This friend, can they come stay with you?” 

His heart wasn’t back to normal, it was still pounding away, unable to identify the threat it had been preparing him to face.

Sykkuno’s hands shook, as he hit buttons on the screen. He brought it up to his ear, and then Corpse felt his own phone vibrating in his pocket. Corpse lifted it out, brows furrowed, the screen showed a little circle with a hand drawn character waving at him. 

Sykkuno looked up at him, then his other hand came to cover his mouth, tears slipped out. 

It kept ringing, Corpse didn’t know what to do. “Do you want me to answer?”

“Yes please.” Sykkuno said, pushing a tear away with another hand. 

Corpse touched the green button, and lifted the phone to his ear. “What are you doing?” 

Sykkuno kept his eyes up, watching Corpse’s lips make the words. “Corpse,” Sykkuno sucked in a frightened breath. His eyes never left Corpse’s face. “I’m I- I’m hallucinating.” Sykkuno said. “I’m scared. I don’t know what to do.” 

Corpse lowered the phone from his ear. “Sykkuno, this is real, I’m really here.” 

“Shut up!” Sykkuno shouted, then his voice broke. “Just shut up, I need to hear him.”

Corpse brought the phone back up to his ear. “What happened? Why did you scream?”

“There was a man,” Sykkuno explained. His eyes drifted to the small living area. It consisted of a small loveseat, a coffee table, and a large window, with a shelf beneath it. The shelf housed houseplants of various sizes. “He was standing over there.” 

“Who was he? Did he break in?”

“He was my bonsai. Or the spirit that lived in my bonsai, he said.” Sykkuno explained. 

Corpse raised his eyebrows, Sykkuno was not okay. This was probably the worst possible timing for the revelation that Corpse had been living right next to him, for almost the entirety of their friendship. 

Sykkuno went on, eyes glued to the little juniper tree in it’s minty green pot. “He said, he was going to make me his bride, and he put a ring on my finger.” 

Corpse looked down then and it was really there, a little band of wood on his left ring finger.

“Did he hurt you?” Corpse asked into the phone.

“No, I bumped the mirror, then I thought my neighbour was here, but I think I’m hallucinating you, as him.” Sykkuno said. “Oh god. This is really bad.” 

Suddenly Corpse’s anxiety pointed out that he could run right now. He could disappear, return to being Sykkuno’s neighbour. It would just involve a little bit more lying. Not active lying, just… not denying the things Sykkuno already believed. He wouldn’t have to face the consequences of the secrets he’d kept thus far. He could return to being faceless. 

But the light of the full moon reflected off the shards of mirror on the floor, and the salt water trapped in Sykkuno’s dark lashes. It all shone to form a lovely constellation, one that Corpse couldn’t turn away from.

He couldn’t leave Sykkuno in little star shard pieces. Couldn’t allow him to believe himself insane. Couldn’t imagine leaving him alone to deal with the terror that was rattling the phone against his ear, and cracking the breaths in his throat. 

“Sykkuno,” Corpse lowered his voice to his best approximation of soothing. “I know that you’re scared right now, but I need you to think for a second.”

“No Corpse,” Sykkuno sucked in a frightened breath. “I can’t- I can’t trust my head right now. I need- I think I need to go to the hospital.” 

“No listen, you know that I’m real right? We played games together, with other people.” Sykkuno nodded along with Corpse’s words, pushing tears back off his cheeks as he did. “You don’t know what I look like though, so it’s possible. It’s possible that I could live next to you without you knowing.”

“Corpse, don’t.” Sykkuno pleaded, with a sob. “No. You know what I look like, I sent you the picture with the bonsai!”

“What if I did know and I just didn’t tell you?” Corpse asked. Sykkuno looked up, straight into his eyes. 

“Why would you do that?” Sykkuno asked, softly. “Did you not want to be friends in real life?” 

“No, Sykkuno, it- I don’t know why.” Corpse struggled through the words, feeling all kinds of horrible but he had to go on. “Just think for a sec, I asked you why you screamed, remember? How would I know that?”

Sykkuno lowered the phone from his ear, and looked up at Corpse, face tear-stained. Corpse ended the call. 

“What the hell, Corpse?”

“I’m so sorry, Sykkuno.” 

\--

“Okay, then, okay,” Sykkuno stuttered, pushing shaking palms over his eyes. His breath came heavy, as he tried to steady it. “Go in there.” 

He pointed to the bedroom. Corpse’s brows furrowed. “Why?”

“You’re too much right now.”

“Sykkuno, we need to talk. I need to apologize, and I need to help you.”

“We can talk. I just- I just need your voice though.”

Corpse quirked his head. “My face is too much?”

“Yes.” 

“I- I can go get my mask.” Corpse offered. Sykkuno shook his head, then his eyes drifted again to the bedroom door. “Okay, but you have to come over here, back against the door. Got it?” Sykkuno nodded, and Corpse took the couple steps to the bedroom. Then he stood in the doorway, waiting for Sykkuno to rise from where he was. “Can you get up?” 

Sykkuno nodded, and pushed himself up to his feet, suddenly lightheaded from the tears. He glanced over to where the entry mirror would have been. There was just wall. But Sykkuno was certain he looked terrible.

Part of him wanted Corpse on the other side of the door so that he wouldn’t see him like this, with his red puffy eyes and running nose. And the other part of him was just hurt. Hurt that Corpse had looked at him with his stupid pretty eyes, hurt that Corpse had seen him countless times and lied over and over.

And the odd thing about the hurt was that it was directed at the face. The voice retained this intensely soothing effect, an effect which Sykkuno desperately needed. The voice was his friend, the living, breathing, wildly good-looking person, was the one that hurt him.

Sykkuno came to stand opposite him. He looked up once more at the eyes. Eyes framed by dark brows and dark lashes, all over a light canvas. He was uncomfortably handsome, and Sykkuno hated that the fluttery feeling that normally accompanied this face, was now mixed up with hurt.

Syykuno reached for the handle, and clicked the door closed on his neighbor, Corpse. Then he turned and pressed his back against it, just as instructed, and sunk down until his face was back in his knees.

“Sykkuno?” That voice, deep like the pressure at the bottom of the sea, rough and authentic. Sykkuno felt the tension slipping and pooling around him like silken clothes fallen away from his skin.

“Hey Corpse.” Sykkuno let his eyes fall shut, and he just listened to the voice.

“Is this better?”

“Yeah,” Sykkuno admitted. It was better. And even though he was mad at the living breathing person, it was kind of nice to know that someone was just on the other side of the door. It was nice to know that he wasn’t alone. 

“I recognized you that day you got the package from your mom, the one with the scarf.” Corpse said, surprising Sykkuno with the careful sincerity in his tone. “I should have said something, I was just- I don’t know, we didn’t know each other that well. I was awkward, and kind of amazed, and then it just-” Corpse chuckled. “It got out of hand. I had so many chances and I just didn’t, I wanted to though, I swear. I really wanted to. I’m so sorry, Sykkuno.”

“I forgive you.” 

“Sykkuno, you can’t just forgive me that easily.” Corpse said, it sounded like he was smiling. “Make me beg, at least.” 

“Make you beg? What?” Sykkuno giggled. “You don’t have to beg Corpse.”

“I’ve been a shitty friend though.” Corpse replied. “So please let me help with whatever is going on.”

“Okay,” Sykkuno said. “You’re not going to believe me.”

“You believed me about this.”

“You made some pretty convincing arguments.” Sykkuno replied, with a smile. 

Sykkuno lifted his head from his knees. And it was back. 

He was back. 

Sprawled out over his loveseat, skin like sun bleached bark, hair of short-leaved juniper sprigs. His eyes were a milky moonlit white, with pupils just a pale. His jawline a hard edge, just like his collar bones which peeked out from the deep vee of his robe.

Sykkuno’s body picked up the panic rhythm again. Corpse’s entrance had lowered the volume, but now it was cranked up to an ear-splitting, body shaking vibrato. 

The man smiled when he realized Sykkuno had spotted him. He looked at the door to the bedroom, as if Corpse was a troublesome interruption, and raised an eyebrow.

“Sykkuno?” Corpse’s voice came through from behind his back.

Sykkuno couldn’t find the breath to respond, but the man was getting to his feet. Robe splashing down over muscular legs as he rose. Sykkuno scrambled up, in response, unsure of whether he was going to run, or pull open the door to hide behind Corpse.

But some part of him, a factor of the paranoia perhaps, wanted to protect Corpse from the spectre. And so his voice found him in the fractional seconds he had. “Corpse, please, uhm-” Sykkuno struggled to get the words out. “P- Promise me you won’t open the door.” 

“What’s happening, Sykkuno? You sound scared, what’s going on?”

“It’s uh, it’s happening again, but can you just please stay there.” Sykkuno begged quietly, as the man drew closer and closer.

“Sykkuno,” Corpse’s voice sounded broken, hurt. Sykkuno heard the handle and turned to grip it, holding it closed.

“I’m eager to share news of our betrothal.” The man said, coming to a halt, half a step away, close enough that Sykkuno could smell the forest-like scent of him. The hallucination was so vivid, so intense, just like the last time. 

The man raised an arm, propping it against the door next to Sykkuno’s head. Blocking the moonlight, casting a shadow over Sykkuno’s eyes. Leaving him trapped and helpless against the door. He was caught in those milky white eyes, and his fear fell limp like a rag-doll. 

“Will you tell your friend that you belong to Hiroki, or shall I?” The man purred, and his lips drifted dangerously close to Sykkuno’s face as he said it. Shivers dripped down his spine, like he was lost and alone in the woods.

But he wasn’t. Instead he was crowded against a door by this tall, lean bonsai, come alive. While Corpse waited patiently for his delusion to cease so that they could discuss the pressing matter of Sykkuno’s psychotic break.

“Please leave him alone.” Sykkuno said, voice soft with terror. 

Then the man’s face dipped closer. What did he call himself? Hiroki? Odd that his delusion would give itself a name. 

Then that thought imploded as his lips pressed into Sykkuno’s, stealing away his breath. A pine-like taste was on his tongue. Then a hand covered Sykkuno’s locking his fist around the knob, as Corpse struggled to get it open. There was a hand in his hair, tugging at his scalp to maneuver his head and allow access to his neck. A thigh was snugged up between Sykkuno’s legs and he was shocked still by the sensations, the pull on his hair, the press of the lips on his neck, everything. 

Then teeth- since when did delusions have teeth, that could suck at that sensitive spot on his neck? 

Then he was gone, leaving Sykkuno panting, desperate for air and sanity to return. The door swung inwards, Sykkuno went with it, hand still attached the knob for some reason. 

“What the fuck was that?” Corpse was there, his nearness suddenly intoxicating after his brush with… whatever that was. “Sykkuno, who were you talking to? Don’t hold the door like that-” 

Corpse froze, eyes locked on Sykkuno’s neck. His hand, with it’s dark nails, came out to touch Sykkuno’s jaw. Angling it up, to reveal the spot where Sykkuno had just felt the hallucination’s teeth. Then Corpse was crowding him against the door, radiating anger.

“Who did this to you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would love to hear reactions to this chaos. Lolol! 
> 
> Thank you everyone that's commented so far!


	5. Chapter 5

Sykkuno touched his neck with his fingers, he could still feel the lingering trace of it, but how could Corpse see it?

“It- it can’t. No.” Sykkuno peeled his left hand off the knob, and his fingers hurt, as if they’d been crushed against it by some intense pressure. Then he felt it, the ring. He stared down at it, confused. 

“Can you see this too?”

“Yes…” Corpse said, as if that was a strange question. “But your neck Sykkuno, who-? Are they still here?”

“No. He left.”

“Who left?”

“Hiroki.” 

“Who is Hiroki?”

“My bonsai.” 

“Fuck, Sykkuno.” Corpse looked angry, and confused, then his eyes met Sykkuno’s and he softened. “You need to sit down, you look like you’re going to fall over.” Corpse led him by the hand into the bedroom, towards his bed. But as he passed by the mirrored doors to his closet, he caught sight of his reflection and stumbled.

It was really there. The mark. A little pink circle of busted blood vessels. And he was there, him, Sykkuno, his tear stained face, with Corpse, or the man claiming to be Corpse. And it all felt so intensely surreal that Sykkuno became suddenly certain that he must have been having a terribly vivid dream. He closed his hand over his left forearm, and squeezed, as hard as he could. The pain started as a dull throb, then became a more vibrant alarm, but he still didn’t wake.

“Sykkuno, stop.” Corpse took his arms, and pushed them to his sides. Corpse was taller than him, by at least a couple inches, and he smelled like a storm somehow. And Sykkuno’s skin burned where his strong hands rested. Then those strong hands were sitting him down on the bed, and Sykkuno fell back, legs still dangling off the side.

Then he felt the bed depress as Corpse joined him, but he didn’t lie back. He stayed sitting, watching Sykkuno. Eyes sharp with concern.

“Sykkuno, are you seeing anyone?” 

Sykkuno brought his hands to his face. That was an embarrassing question. Why was Corpse asking that now? He shook his head in response.

“Did you have that mark before I came?” 

Sykkuno shook his head again.

“Okay, Sykkuno,” Corpse said, his voice level and easy, like what you’d use to soothe a cat at the vet. “I’m like ninety nine percent sure I would have noticed that when I first came in. Which means that just appeared. I need you to start from the top, and finish with where the hell that mark came from.”

“You won’t believe it.”

“Try me.” Corpse eased himself back so he was lying on the bed next to Sykkuno. Sykkuno glanced over at him. He was intensely handsome, the kind of handsome that might spoil a horror story narration.

“Well, it started here,” Sykkuno began. “Then I heard noises in the living room.”

“The same kind as before?” Corpse asked. Sykkuno nodded. He glanced over at the face again, he kind of didn’t ever want to stop looking at it. He liked the way the moonlight looked on his pale skin. Corpse turned his head, and met Sykkuno’s eye. The eye contact was kind of intense. “Stop looking at me. Just talk.” Corpse ordered.

Sykkuno flushed and looked straight up at the ceiling, at the three-headed light over his bed. 

“When I went out to look there was someone standing there.” By staring up at the ceiling his voice didn’t stutter so much. He was able to relax and just speak. “His skin was all grainy like wood, and his hair was like the little needles on my bonsai, and at first I thought that I must’ve been dreaming. So I just said hi.”

Corpse snorted a laugh. Sykkuno smiled and went on. “He said he was a kind of yokai. And that two hundred years ago someone in the Takeda clan had bound him to that bonsai to serve as a guardian for their family. Apparently, by taking him out of the family home, I released him, and to thank me, he said that he would make me his-” Sykkuno stumbled, this was where things got weird. All of it was weird. But this was where he'd stumbled in his dream. “His uhm, bride.”

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Corpse’s brow furrow. 

“Then he came closer, and he took my hand. And that was when I screamed, because he felt so… real. I- I know he can’t be. There’s no way. But his hands felt like driftwood, then the next thing I knew there was a ring on my finger.

“I- I tried to get it off and it just wouldn’t come off. I hit the mirror trying. Then I heard you at the door, and you sounded like- well you sounded like you and I- I really wanted it to be you. But at the same time bumping the mirror hurt my shoulder, and I realized I couldn’t be dreaming- then. Well then I realized I was awake but I couldn’t tell what was real.”

Corpse chuckled, but it sounded like it hurt his chest to do so, and when he spoke the words seemed to ache. “I’m sorry.”

Sykkuno laughed a little, tracing the tiny knots in the ring with his thumb. “It’s fine. I probably would have done the same thing, if I’d ended up in your position...” 

“Can I see the ring?” 

Sykkuno offered his left hand to Corpse. He saw Corpse’s thumb and forefinger come up to pinch the band of wood.

Then pass through.

Sykkuno startled. He pulled his hand back and touched it himself, his fingers touched wood, and the ring was too tight to pass the knuckle. Then he stuck his hand out again. “You can see it right?”

Corpse was looking at his fingers in confusion. “Yeah.” Corpse reached out again to touch it and Sykkuno felt his fingers where the ring should have been. “What the fuck?”

Sykkuno threw his left arm over his eyes and groaned.

“At least it’s not all in your head.” Corpse offered. The thought brought very little comfort.

“Or we’re both going crazy.” Sykkuno mumbled into his sleeve. He caught Corpse’s smirk of a smile. “What?”

“Nothing,” Corpse replied. Sykkuno nudged him with his knee. Corpse’s half smile turned into a full grin. “I think that if I was going to lose my mind, I’d like to do it with you.”

Sykkuno snorted a laugh, and made sure that his arm covered his cheeks, so Corpse wouldn’t see if they went red. He was sure Corpse didn’t mean it that way, but Sykkuno couldn’t help the little swoon-like thing that happened in his chest at the soft admission.

“So what happened just now?” Corpse asked, voice still low, meant only for Sykkuno’s ears. Sykkuno revelled in the intimacy of it, heightened by the fact that he could feel the heat of Corpse’s shoulder next to his. He didn’t want to talk about what had just happened. It would spoil the loveliness of these precious seconds.

Sykkuno felt heat on his hand. Corpse was lifting his left up to peek at his eyes. “Sykkuno?”

Corpse was really cute. 

Sykkuno let his arm fall over his head, and looked straight up at the light fixture. “It happened again, I saw him. He said he was eager to share news of our betrothal. Th- then-” Sykkuno sucked in a breath, as his memory flashed to the stiff wooden body crushing him against the door. His body remembered, and elevated his heart rate accordingly. Sykkuno felt knuckles just brush against the back of his hand, an easy back and forth.

“You asked him to leave me alone.” Corpse supplied. “What did he say?”

“He asked me if I was going to tell you that I belong to Hiroki now, or if he should.” Sykkuno said, voice barely above a whisper. His arm came back to his eyes as his body flushed with embarrassment. “I- I know I probably shouldn’t talk to my hallucinations.”

“So you held the door?” Corpse asked. 

“No he did. And uhm-” The next words were caught in Sykkuno’s throat, they were so embarrassing. He probably would have left this whole part out if the evidence of it wasn’t glowing on his neck. “Ah- he sort of- well he kissed me.” 

Sykkuno brought both hands up over his face. God it was embarrassing, like sharing a dream where you slept with your teacher, with the guy you were crushing on. It was the worst ever.

“So this thing that calls itself Hiroki did that?” Corpse asked. It was on the other side of his neck, Corpse couldn’t see it right now. But Sykkuno knew exactly what he was talking about.

He nodded.

“Huh.” Corpse said. Sykkuno lifted the edge of his hand to peek at the man. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slow and easy. 

“So, what do we do?” Sykkuno asked.

"Is he gone?”

"I think so.”

Corpse smiled. “Then I think I should stay here tonight, in case he comes back.” He lazily rolled his head, to meet Sykkuno's eye. “If that’s alright with you?”

Sykkuno gave a tight nod. It looked like Corpse was close to falling asleep then and there with his legs dangling off the side of his bed.

“Couch?” Corpse asked. Sykkuno shook his head. Corpse raised one eyebrow.

“I- I don’t want-” Sykkuno felt his cheeks heating up. “I don’t want the door between us.”

“Floor.” Corpse said.

“N- no, Corpse,” Sykkuno stuttered. “I couldn’t. After everything you’ve- it wouldn’t feel right having you on the floor. I- we’re both guys, and it’s just one night, we could just both…” Sykkuno trailed off as his awkward rambling got to be too much for even him to bear.

“As long as you don’t mind, I’m good.” Corpse replied, eyes easing shut again. “Your bed is comfy.” Sykkuno smiled at that. It was a strange thing to experience pride over, it wasn’t as if he’d gone to great lengths to ensure his bed would be pleasant to share. But it made him happy to hear that Corpse would be comfortable sleeping in it. 

“You’re okay to just- go to bed then?” Sykkuno asked. “With a crazy person.”

“Maybe this will make sense in the morning.” Corpse murmured, bringing his hand up to cover a wide yawn. 

Sykkuno smiled. “Yeah, maybe. Did you lock your door?”

“Its fine.” Corpse grumbled. 

“I’ll get it.” Sykkuno offered, sitting up in bed. “I have to lock mine.” 

“Keys ‘re by the door.”

“When was the last time you slept?” Sykkuno asked, looking down at his half asleep protector. Corpse only grumbled in response. “You better be under the covers by the time I get back.”

Corpse rolled his shoulders and made a spine tingling noise of protest as he stretched. Then Sykkuno rose to go and lock their doors. He found Corpse’s keys on a little shelf by the door, and upon his return found Corpse totally unconscious on one side of his bed. 

Sykkuno crawled into bed next to him, careful not to disturb the man. He couldn't believe this night. His breaths came deep and even, and Sykkuno found them intensely soothing. And soon in spite of how insane his night had been, they even managed to lull him into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if you were hoping for some more fiercely protective Corpse. Our boi just get's sleepy when Sykkuno is talking to him in a nice low voice, in his comfy bed. 
> 
> Loved all the comments on the last chapter. <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo- uhm, we got some big soft-ness here. Things will get wild again in a bit, I swear.

Corpse woke in the early hours of the morning to the heart-stopping realization that he was not in his bed. The events of the previous night assaulted him, while his social anxiety egged all of it on. Morning light filtered in through Sykkuno’s window. It traced the features of Corpse’s face, sneering at the nose, and depression of his cheeks. Corpse felt exposed, naked, even though Sykkuno was still fast asleep.

For a moment his mind flickered to the spot he left his mask by the door. But if he rose to go get it, he might wake Sykkuno, then he’d be seen in the light of day anyways. With the added complication of Corpse sneaking out of his room like a one night stand. 

Corpse turned his head, before that train of thought could take root in the part of his skull which controlled blood flow and baser instincts. 

And it was there. Sitting on the side table under his keys was the little scrap of fabric. Sykkuno brought it for him. 

Corpse brought a hand to his chest, it was doing something. The sensation was a strange mix between pleasant and painful. 

_What's the point in wearing a mask now?_ His soft-spoken logic centre asked. Sykkuno saw him, and gave no indication that he disliked what he saw. Corpse didn’t reach for it, but having it there soothed some of the more panicky thoughts. It allowed him to relax enough to turn and look at Sykkuno.

Sykkuno’s face was half buried in the pillow, lashes rested on his cheeks. The blanket rose and fell, and Corpse was overcome by the sudden urge to bury his own face in the pillow. It was so cozy. All of it- everything smelled like Sykkuno. He hadn’t even known what Sykkuno smelled like before last night. Then once he was engulfed in it, it had knocked him out cold. It was a little like rain, or morning dew. And with Sykkuno’s lovely voice whispering words meant only for him, it was a miracle Corpse stayed conscious as long as he did.

Then the warm sleepy coziness was interrupted by thoughts of Sykkuno crying, blushing, flustering in his presence. Corpse’s heart writhed at the memories, it was almost painful how intense it was. Corpse recalled his rage at being prevented from opening the door, of hearing Sykkuno whimper as he was coerced by this unknown force. Then at seeing the mark, the edge of which was just barely visible to him now. 

And what the hell was he supposed to do with this… Hiroki thing?

Unlike Sykkuno, he was pretty convinced that whatever Sykkuno had encountered was very real. There was the ring, and the mark as evidence, but to him, the most damning was that he couldn’t open the door. He’d struggled with both hands, trying to wrench it open, Sykkuno alone couldn’t have held it with one hand. Even with both, Corpse would wager he could pull open a door Sykkuno tried to hold closed. Sure he didn’t really hit the gym like he used to, but Corpse was still pretty strong. And Sykkuno’s muscle looked so delicate where the neckline of this shirt streatched to expose his collarbone. 

Corpse's mind drifted to the question of how strong that delicate muscle might be, then to what it might look like uncovered, how his shirtless abdomen might feel under Corpse's hands. His breath caught. _Don’t think about that while you’re in bed with him._

Corpse distracted himself by trying to come up with the least awkward way that Sykkuno could wake up. Should Corpse try to sneak out? There was that idea of getting caught again. Corpse mashed his face into the pillow and inhaled. Sykkuno’s bed was so good though.

Corpse shut his eyes again for a moment, and when he opened them again the morning light was significantly stronger and Sykkuno was gone.

Which meant Corpse was woken by a small heart attack again. Two times in the same morning. Then he heard rattling in the kitchen, and heard something frying. Corpse squeezed his eyes shut and hugged the pillow tight.

Sykkuno was okay. And he was making him breakfast. 

He glanced over at the mask. He would have to take it off to eat, so should he bother wearing it? Sykkuno had seen him last night, and now this morning. It probably didn’t matter anymore. And whatever Sykkuno was making smelled really good. Corpse’s body ached from sleeping for so long. He bit back his usual grumbles as he stretched and got up. He looked down at the mask one last time, and abandoned it. 

He found Sykkuno in the kitchen, hair a mess, with chopsticks in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled. “Hey sleepy,”

Corpse melted, like full on melted. How the hell did his giant fuck-up of an identity reveal get him here? Sykkuno set down the coffee.

“Can I do anything?” His voice was barely there, croaky and several decibels lower than it normally was.

“You can uh- sit down, if you want. It’s almost ready.” Sykkuno stuttered. “I’ll- I’ll bring you some coffee.” Sykkuno shifted something around in the pan, and set his chopsticks down. “I have um- milk?” 

Corpse shook his head and wandered into the kitchen against orders, as Sykkuno filled a mug for him. There was some kind of fried rice in one pan, and what looked like eggs coming together into a pale yellow omelet in another. Corpse smiled. 

“Do you eat eggs?” Sykkuno asked, “I- I hope this is okay, I know it’s not- uh- like bacon and eggs. it’s just what I normally have, I wasn’t really expecting a guest.” Corpse took the mug of steaming coffee from Sykkuno’s hands.

“Don’t worry, I eat eggs.” Corpse assured him, enjoying the way the cup nearly burnt his fingers. “No one has cooked for me in like a full year. This looks amazing.”

Sykkuno paused, glanced up at Corpse and smiled quite genuinely. “Sorry, for being so awkward. I just- I wanted- oh shoot, the eggs.”

Corpse left the kitchen, fearing that his presence may put his breakfast in jeopardy. Then quietly allowed the coffee to warm his hands and his soul. Sykkuno finished cooking and brought two bowls over to the low table, each bowl was full with sticky rice and topped with the eggs.

The rice was just a little bit sweet, and whatever spices Sykkuno used in the egg made it taste way better than Corpse had ever managed on his own. Sykkuno couldn’t ramble and eat at the same time, so their breakfast was somewhat quiet. Corpse noted that the ring was still on Sykkuno’s finger, meaning last night definitely wasn’t a fever dream. 

“So, Sykkuno,” Corpse said, pausing as his stomach got full with the food. “Did Hiroki say when he’d be back?” 

Sykkuno coughed, cleared his throat and tried to swallow his bite again. He ended up resorting to coffee, but Corpse suspected it might’ve simply been a tactic to stall his answer. “Are you- You don’t actually believe me, do you?”

“I told you I would, didn’t I?”

“I guess but Corpse it’s- it’s not possible.”

“Well, you’re not crazy so this makes the most sense to me.” Corpse offered. 

Sykkuno sighed and returned to his meal, defeated. “I was kind of hoping you’d have some alternate theory, carbon monoxide or something.”

“We could open the window but it wouldn’t make that ring go away.” Corpse replied. 

“Yeah, I opened up all the windows as soon as I got up.” Sykkuno said. “Then closed them, cause it was cold.” Corpse chuckled, imagining Sykkuno opening his windows only to realize it was still January. “But no, he didn’t say when he’d be back.”

“Do you want me to stick around?” Corpse asked.

“I mean, he’s never done anything during the day. He only really ever made noise at night.” Sykkuno said, seemingly trying to rationalize it to himself. “And I can’t believe I’m saying this but maybe I should- uh- try talking to him.” Sykkuno began to smile. “Maybe this was just one big misunderstanding.” 

Corpse laughed. “Your optimism is adorable.”

Sykkuno giggled too. “I mean, it’s not like you’re far away. I can always call you, or you can hear me, if I shout, apparently.”

“Are you going to get rid of the tree?” Corpse asked. Sykkuno looked over at the little guy, enjoying the early morning sunlight.

“Uhm- I’ll consider it.” 

“Sykkuno,” Corpse scolded. 

“He has nowhere else to go, Corpse.” Sykkuno countered, “Besides I can’t just give someone a haunted house plant. That would be mean.”

“That’s so not your problem.” Corpse pointed out. “You can keep it until we see your ghost again and figure out what his deal is, but if it seems to be any danger to you, I’m tossing it out the window.”

Sykkuno looked offended at the thought and Corpse shook his head, with a small smile. “So you don’t need babysitting during the day, but what about at night?” 

Sykkuno looked up, and a strange current charged the air. It was like Sykkuno was waiting for the question, and dreading it at the same time. Corpse too, was desperate for an answer, but the right answer, the one that meant he got to spend another night in Sykkuno’s bed, because he was pretty sure he couldn’t go on living if that was his first and only time.

“Uh- listen Corpse,” 

Corpse panicked. His heart shot off and he wanted to run back to the bedroom and hide in bed with his mask on. Or- _fuck_ \- maybe not Sykkuno’s bed if he was hiding from Sykkuno. His own bed. But it would be cold and it wouldn’t smell like rain. Corpse brought the mug up to his mouth to hide his face. 

“I don’t want Hiroki to- to see you.” Sykkuno said, and Corpse’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I- I think you being here made him. Uhm- it might have made him a bit jealous. Which was why he…” Sykkuno swallowed and his Adams apple dipped past the faded mark on his neck.

Corpse snorted. It was not the brutal rejection he’d expected. And his relief came out as a half hearted laugh.

“But I might- I might come sleep at your place, if- if I think it’ll be alright. And if it’s okay with you.” Sykkuno said, raising his eyes to meet Corpse’s. They were dark as a spotted fawn’s. Of course it was okay. It was way more than okay. Corpse realized he needed to nod or something. So he did. “I could sleep on your couch, or something. I- Hiroki- he’s really strong. I really don’t want you to get hurt by him.”

Corpse let out an exhale over his coffee, under the guise of trying to cool it. It was actually relief he was blowing over the drink. “I don’t mind sharing a bed. You don’t snore.” 

Sykkuno brought a hand up to his mouth to cover a laugh. “Oh well, that’s good.”

“You’ll tell me, if you see him again?” Corpse asked. Sykkuno nodded. “And text me before you try to approach him. And have your thumb ready to call me if he comes within like four feet of you.” Sykkuno nodded. Corpse drank more of his coffee. “Can I do the dishes, since you cooked?” 

Sykkuno smiled “If you want…”

“Good.” Corpse replied, and set down his mug. 

After the dishes, Corpse couldn’t find an excuse to delay his departure any longer. He thought about staying until the last dregs of his coffee went cold, but Sykkuno had a gaming date with some of his friends. Corpse went to deposit his mug in the sink, But Sykkuno just refilled it, and told him to bring it back when he came over next.

Which was how Corpse ended up standing at his own counter, sipping coffee from Sykkuno’s mug feeling like he’d just woken from the most wonderful dream he’d ever woken from.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year!
> 
> We've got just a bit more domestic Corpse/Sykkuno for you today, and... some complications.

Sykkuno had just finished up a game with his friends when he got a message from Corpse, asking if there had been any sign of his phantom fiancé. There hadn’t been, but Sykkuno suspected that if the spirit were to return it would probably be at night. Then Corpse asked if he’d had dinner. To which the answer was also no. And since they got free delivery if their order was over twenty-five dollars, Sykkuno ended up eating dinner with Corpse on the same day he had breakfast with him.

_food_

Sykkuno received the text a second after he heard the delivery guy leave, and he briefly wondered if he should go to Corpse’s or if he should wait for Corpse to bring the food to him. Then his eye caught on the bonsai by the window, and he made the decision for both of them. 

Of course, once Sykkuno got to the door, his mind decided to start worrying over whether Corpse would even be okay having him over. If maybe it would be a violation of his privacy. Although Sykkuno had already seen the apartment last night when he’d gone to lock Corpse’s door. Not that he’d gone any farther than the entryway. He’d taken the mask automatically, thinking that Corpse might want it come morning. 

So it had been a pleasant surprise when Corpse emerged from his bed without it. Sykkuno had experienced a happy little flutter that Corpse was comfortable enough with him for that. In the daylight Sykkuno still found him terribly handsome but his one eye, the one he usually covered, had begun to redden by the time he left. Sykkuno had googled it as soon as he was gone, and discovered he had some light sensitivity in that eye. So Sykkuno really should have taken an eye-patch for him, rather than the face mask, and he maybe should have kept the blinds a little lower.

Sykkuno realized he still hadn’t opened the door. His pocket buzzed.

_my place or yours?_

I’m here. 

Sykkuno heard the door click, and Corpse was right in front of him. “What are you doing?”

“Oh uhm- I-” While Sykkuno stuttered, Corpse stepped aside inviting him in. Sykkuno hesitated, then came in, toeing off his Vans as he did. 

“What were you playing?” Corpse asked.

“Oh, uh- League.” Sykkuno replied as he entered Corpse’s apartment. He had darker blinds, so less late afternoon light made it in, but otherwise it was pretty much the same as Sykkuno’s place but with different furniture. “What did you get up to today?”

“Scary story stuff.” Corpse replied. And Sykkuno noticed the eye-patch.

“Oh, uhm- sorry I didn’t bring your uhm eye thing. I didn’t realize about the light sensitivity- but next time, I won’t have it so bright.” Sykkuno rambled, as he wandered over to investigate the take-out bag on the counter. When he glanced up at Corpse he realized the man was wearing an odd sort of grin. “What?”

“You're just so considerate.” Corpse replied. “It's weird.”

"I'm sorry?”

"I'll let it slide this time”

“So how much was dinner?” 

Corpse shook his head. “Sykkuno please- it’s fine, we’re even.”

“B- But.” Sykkuno started to protest, which earned him a stern look from Corpse. He closed his mouth and quietly accepted his Pad Thai

“I usually just eat on the couch.” Corpse said. “I was halfway through this speed-run of an old game I used to have. Or you can put something on, if you want.”

Sykkuno shook his head, he didn't have anything better to watch. “What game?”

“Spyro.”

“Ripto’s Rage?”

“Year of the Dragon.” Corpse replied, and Sykkuno nodded his assent. 

And so they ate noodles, and watched someone play a game very precisely, making comments here and there on parts of the game they remembered being h. Corpse told him about playing Year of the Dragon on a console that he found in a house they were staying in, as a kid. He had no idea whose house it was, or what their relation to him was, but there was a playstation, so he played Year of the Dragon. 

Sykkuno told him about playing Ripto’s rage, about struggling to beat Ripto as a kid, and it was so shockingly normal, given how their first interaction had gone the previous night that Sykkuno was struck again by how odd it was that they hadn’t been doing this for longer.

The speedrun came to a triumphant close after they finished their meal. 

“That was fun. I liked it.” Sykkuno said, as Corpse turned the television off.

“Yeah. Me too.” Corpse replied, setting his container on the low coffee table. “I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you. If I’d known it would be this easy, I would have done it in a heartbeat.” 

“I don’t know what you expected…” Sykkuno replied. “But I’m glad we get to do it now.”

Corpse chuckled. “I don’t know what I expected either.” 

“Did you think I was going to cuss you out, or something?”

Corpse’s grin grew into breathy laugh. “No, I would have loved that.” 

“Wait, Corpse,” Sykkuno giggled. “You want me to swear at you?”

“I mean, no, but also yes.” Corpse had thumb pressing into his first knuckle. “But I think I was worried it would make things weird or something.” 

“Nope, the only weird thing is me and my delusions.” Sykkuno replied. “Speaking of which, I should probably get back, in case he comes tonight.”

“Maybe you could leave your mic on or something while you talk to him.” Corpse suggested. “Then I could listen in discord and like- come if you needed.” 

“Yeah, that might work.” Sykkuno smiled, and got up off the couch, stretching his back a little as he stood. “Thanks again for dinner.”

“Thanks for breakfast.” Corpse replied.

And Sykkuno headed over to the entry to slip on his shoes. Corpse followed, his socked feet noiseless against the carpet. 

“uh, Sykkuno?” He glanced over his shoulder to find Corpse wearing a very curious expression. “Can you just- hold still for a sec?”

Sykkuno froze, and felt Corpse’s presence close to his back. Then he felt a tickle at the back of his head, Corpse’s finger’s touching the fine hairs at the base of his skull. “So uh- I don’t really know how to say this without sounding insane, but there are leaves growing in your hair.”

“What?” Sykkuno’s hand came up automatically. His fingers touched Corpse’s and the other man guided him to something small and plasticy-feeling. And a shiver ripped up his spine. 

“They’re like the ring.” Corpse explained. “I can’t touch it, but I can see the green.” Then he pulled out his phone to take a quick picture and his brows furrowed. “Doesn’t show up on camera- so I guess there’s that.”

Sykkuno rolled his head back and let out a long exhale. “Think it would show in a mirror?” 

“Maybe.” Corpse replied. “You might have to do that weird hair-dresser thing though. Are you okay?”

“Not really.” Sykkuno sighed. “I feel like my crazy is rubbing off on you but there isn’t much I can do about that.”

“Do you want to stay?” Corpse offered. Sykkuno shook his head and departed, intent on seeing for himself the leaves that were apparently magically sprouting from his scalp. "Be careful, Sykkuno.”

And Sykkuno hoped he'd be able to.

\--

Sykkuno couldn’t find a hand-mirror. Which shouldn’t have been a surprise as he was fairly confident he’d never owned one, but there was a rather large shard of his hall mirror which looked like it might do the trick. He’d placed the frame, and some of the shattered pieces in a shoebox he had lying around, and had yet to take it down to the garbage room. So he crouched down in front of it, took a piece and attempted to angle it in such a way that the piece reflected the back of his head, for him to see in the intact body of the mirror.

And so it was with a palm-sized shard of glass in his sleeve-wrapped hand, that Sykkuno’s fiancé made his next appearance.

The shard slipped, slicing his index finger open, but not before he’d seen the greenery that was indeed growing between the hair. The sun had gone down sometime during dinner, and so Hiroki was lit only by the papery floor lamp in the corner of the living room. He didn’t look quite as intimidating as he had in the moonlight. 

“H-hello.” Sykkuno stuttered, realizing he needed to deal with the cut on his finger, and also call Corpse, without pissing off the supernaturally strong ghost thing.

“Good evening.” Hiroki replied. “I didn’t mean to startle you.” 

“It- uh- it’s fine.” Sykkuno dropped the shard back in the box, and stood awkwardly.

“Come here.” Hiroki commanded, and Sykkuno almost did, before realizing that he should really dress the cut, and also not go anywhere near the man.

“I’m bleeding.” Sykkuno said, hoping that was justification enough for him to run and find a band-aid. 

“Yes. I want it.” 

Sykkuno blanked. He wanted it? “I’m sorry. I don’t- I don’t think I understand.”

“Mm,” He held up an apologetic hand. “This is well known where I come from, but my kind eat humans.” Hiroki said. Sykkuno took a couple steps back, hand coming out to touch the knob on the front door, heart kicking up. 

“I will not be eating you of course, my love.” Hiroki said, and his robes swished as he came closer. “We don’t need to eat humans to live. We just like to. Even just a drop of mortal blood helps a great deal with maintaining our form.” Sykkuno couldn’t move, he really wished Corpse would come again. Come and rescue him from this strange wooden creature, striding confidently towards him. “The Takeda’s gave me some each fortnight to keep me strong, I would love a taste of yours before it is all gone.”

Before it was gone? What did that mean? Sykkuno swallowed, and Hiroki was there before him, close enough to touch. Sykkuno wanted to say no, or to scream but neither of those things would prevent the creature from killing him. Hiroki had yet to explicitly threaten him, but he seemed to have no issue doing exactly what he wanted.

“Uhm, if I say yes, could you uh- answer some questions for me?”

“Anything, my beloved.” Hiroki promised, his empty white eyes found Sykkuno, and his hand once again came out to touch him. It felt again like a walking stick, but it moved and lifted Sykkuno’s finger to his lips. 

The spirit didn’t close his eyes, Hiroki held Sykkuno trapped again against a door but with no one on the other side to rescue him. His tongue felt strange, and Sykkuno’s fear sent fireworks worth of shivers blooming over his shoulders and the backs of his arms. Several long seconds later, Hiroki withdrew, and Sykkuno had to consciously keep from snatching his hand away.

“Uhm, it scares me a little when you back me into things like this.” Sykkuno said, desperate to get out from the corner Hiroki had him in. Hiroki didn’t acknowledge the comment, but he did take a step back to let Sykkuno out. 

“I am unaccustomed to mortal socialization.” 

“May I- uhm cover this, if you’re done with it?” Sykkuno asked. The cut was no longer bleeding, but he still hoped to use it as an excuse to flee. Hiroki nodded, and Sykkuno made a break for his desk in the den adjacent to the living room. Hoping he might find a bandage in the drawer, and that perhaps he could start up the call with Corpse before he was murdered in a misunderstanding of basic mortal social cues.

He sat down in his desk chair, and Hiroki followed a couple paces behind. Sykkuno tapped the space bar, jumped on discord, and called Corpse. By the time Hiroki had made it to the doorway, the call was ringing. Sykkuno verified that the output was set to headphones, and the input was set to his desk mic, then clicked off the monitor. And he was kind of impressed with himself for managing it so quickly. Hiroki seemed unfazed by it. Not that some two hundred year old spirit would understand a virtual call, he belatedly realized. Still- best not to piss him off.

“So,” Sykkuno said, opening the drawer and rooting through for a band-aid. “I uh- I feel like there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“In what way?” Hiroki asked, folding his arms to lean against the doorway. 

“I- I can’t marry you.” Sykkuno said, and he hoped his tone was polite enough that the thing wouldn’t snap his neck right there.

“Why? You are unmarried.” Hiroki pointed out. “And a virgin.” 

Sykkuno brought his hand to his mouth, and his eyes went very wide. His cheeks burned and he instantly regretted calling Corpse for this. “How- how could you know that?”

“Just now, I tasted it on your blood.” Hiroki said as if it was terribly obvious. “Not that it would matter if you weren’t. I didn’t ask prior to my proposal, as my gratitude was so great that it overpowered my preference. So you needn’t worry that you are not pure enough for me.”

Sykkuno actually couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and he wondered briefly if Corpse could even hear Hiroki, or if he could only hear Sykkuno’s end. It looked like Hiroki might have been out of range of the mic, but also- Sykkuno recalled the spirit leaves not showing up in Corpse’s photo. So maybe he should be repeating what Hiroki said, so Corpse could follow the conversation, but then- Sykkuno certainly wasn’t going to be repeating anything pertaining to his virginity...

“Well,” Sykkuno went on. “The other thing is that- you uh- you’ve referred to me as your bride, but I’m uh- I’m not a woman. I’m a man.”

Hiroki waved his hand as if Sykkuno had suggested that mercury was in retrograde. “Gender is meaningless.”

“What- what do you mean?” Sykkuno replied. 

“The Takeda’s fed me the blood of men, and thus I wear the skin of a man. You and I will be able to wear whatever we’d like when we’re wed.” Hiroki replied. “It is simply customary to refer to mortals in the feminine.”

“Oh…” Sykkuno’s mind raced. Hiroki had left him with only one option. “Well uhm, the truth is that I- I don’t want to marry you”

Hiroki shrugged. “But I wish to marry you, and so you will.” 

Sykkuno swallowed. “But-”

“Mortal whims are fleeting.” Hiroki interrupted. “What a mortal wants one moment changes in the blink of an eye. Twenty years pass and suddenly they want something entirely different. In a couple hundred years, when you’ve matured, you’ll appreciate this decision.”

Sykkuno felt very small. Like a teen being scolded by his parents for wanting to play games instead of studying. His throat closed up and he suddenly couldn’t find a single word of protest, not because Hiroki was right, but because Sykkuno knew in his bones that he was totally powerless to change this creature's mind. 

Hiroki yawned. “This talk has been tiresome.” He turned, to return to the living room. 

“W-wait Hiroki, why am I- what are these leaves?” Sykkuno stuttered, touching the back of his head. 

“You’re starting to shed your mortal skin,” Hiroki explained. “It should be mostly gone by the wedding.” Sykkuno bit his tongue to maintain his composure. There were still questions. He needed more answers. Hiroki, as if sensing the next question before it was spoken, went on. “One week, don’t worry, you’ll not have to suffer in that decaying body much longer.”

A week…

Seven days wasn’t enough time. Sykkuno wanted to suffer in his decaying body for much much longer. He wanted to stay in his apartment, he wanted his friends, his family, his houseplants. He wanted to eat dinner with Corpse again. Not just one more time, but lots of times.

Hiroki went to leave and Sykkuno stopped him. He turned again, looking rather annoyed this time.

“I need to… my neighbor- he borrowed a mug.” Sykkuno said, rising from his chair. “I need to get it.”

“Don’t be long.” Hiroki clipped. “He covets you.”

“What does that mean?” 

“It means, don’t be long.” Hiroki replied, with a yawn. Then his face hardened into thinly veiled grimace. “It would displease me to have to collect you.” 

“B-but he’s a- a friend.” Sykkuno said, leg bumping his chair, as his body subconsciously recoiled from Hiroki’s anger. “Just a friend.”

Hiroki’s nose crinkled with distaste, and he turned to go. Sykkuno didn’t say another word, he quickly turned on the monitor and saw a wall of Corpse messaging throughout the phone call. He told Corpse he was coming over, and ended the call. He’d read the rest of the messages later. The only thing he could think about was getting away from Hiroki. 

Hiroki stood at his pot in the living room, staring out between the curtains. “You wear a piece of me round your finger, my beloved.” Hiroki said, and this time rather than coming closer he spoke over his shoulder, to Sykkuno who was slipping his shoes on in the foyer. “I know where you are. I can feel your heart quicken for him. With an effect like that I might be tempted to wear him to our wedding.”

Sykkuno stopped. Wear him? As in eat him? Should he go to Corpse’s? Was he putting him in danger by doing so? On the other hand, if he didn’t, Corpse might bust the door down in concern, which Sykkuno couldn’t allow him to do. He needed to keep Corpse as far away from Hiroki as possible.

He had to talk to Corpse. Explain what was going on, and ensure that they maintained a healthy distance. He also needed to keep his heart from fluttering in his presence. Sykkuno’s hand squeezed the door handle. He needed to show Hiroki, Corpse was just a friend.

_Just a friend._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Controversial Headcanon: Sykkuno and Corpse both played Spyro as kids. Fight me.
> 
> I had Ripto's Rage. Hehe. Sometimes I find speedruns of it fun to watch. :)
> 
> Anyways... Let me know what you thought! Thanks everyone who's been commenting per chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This probably could have been two chapters. There's even a nice break for it, but it sucks when they're apart. This way, they'll be together for the next update and boy-oh boy is that going to be an update.

[8]

_sykkuno  
what’s going on?  
is everything okay?  
oh  
you’re talking to him  
i’m assuming he can’t hear me.  
i can’t hear his end  
sykkuno, this is driving me crazy  
did he actually not know you were a guy?  
i guess he just didn’t care.  
what did he say?  
how could you just back down like that?  
shout! fight him, sykkuno  
if you won’t i’ll do it.  
please_

I’m coming now.

\--

He was coming. 

And Corpse still couldn’t get Sykkuno’s voice saying ‘just a friend’ out of his head. He had no idea what Sykkuno had talked about with his ghost. He suspected that the mic simply didn’t pick up anything it said. Meaning Corpse had listened in on a one sided conversation and received zero information. Except for those three words that were stuck in his head on repeat like a snippet of a song that he couldn’t remember the name of.

And he was kind of angry, hearing Sykkuno back down. It was infuriating and painful. He almost wished he hadn’t heard it, and now he was coming, and Corpse didn’t know how to make the feeling go away.

Sykkuno knocked, three sharp raps. Corpse hesitated, then the overwhelming desire to see him and verify that he was okay, overcame it. He opened the door, and found Sykkuno trembling, tears streaming down his face. And then Corpse’s arms were around him, crushing the man against his chest. Leaving Corpse with no idea where to go from there, and positively terrified for whatever Sykkuno had discussed with Hiroki.

After a couple weak sobs, Corpse felt Sykkuno wriggling, to wipe his cheeks on his sleeve. “One week,” Sykkuno managed to say, and then lost his brief grip on composure.

“What? What’s in one week?” Corpse asked, arms still holding Sykkuno tight, like that might stop the shaking. His heart was sluggishly thudding, like a fat-headed hammer against his ribs. It hurt his chest, and every pitiful sound Sykkuno made, only made it worse. 

“I’m s- sorry.” Sykkuno stuttered. “I can’t stay.”

“Fuck Sykkuno, you’re really scaring me.” Corpse replied. “What’s in one week?” 

“The wedding.” Sykkuno choked out. 

“Why didn’t you fight him then?” Corpse asked incredulously. “Tell him off? Something!?” Corpse’s throat hurt, and he felt Sykkuno pushing away from his chest. 

“I tried-” 

“You didn’t. I heard you, Sykkuno.” Corpse felt his anger flaring. He didn’t know what to do with it. The words were just coming. “You just fucking took it!”

Sykkuno bit down on the sobs, covering his mouth with a loose fist, while he steadied himself. His eyes were fixed on some point beyond the floor, and he didn’t say a word. Corpse regretted raising his voice, deeply regretted it. If someone else had spoken to Sykkuno like that, Corpse would have decked them. 

“What did he say?” Corpse tried again, much softer, much gentler. The way he should have been speaking to Sykkuno this whole time.

“Don’t come over to my place anymore,” Sykkuno said. 

“What- Listen. I’m sorry for shouting.” Corpse said. And all at once he succumbed to every anxious thought that had ever flitted through his head. Sykkuno didn’t like him, didn’t want him around. He was too much- he’d made him uncomfortable. It was a crushing wave, and Corpse tried to fight it but there was just so much. He hadn’t realized how much there was until it was flooding and drowning him.

“Could I please have my mug?” Sykkuno asked, with a lifeless attempt at a smile.

“What was with the leaves?” Corpse asked, stalling. He couldn’t bear for him to walk out the door. If he did, it would only confirm every horrid thing he’d ever thought. He was wearing the eyepatch but it wasn’t enough. He needed all of it covered. So Sykkuno wouldn’t see how very afraid he was.

“I’ll get less and less human until the wedding.” Sykkuno said as he stepped past Corpse into the kitchen. Heading for the mug that was sitting by the sink. It was there with the other dishes. Dishes from their meal. Just hours ago they’d had dinner together. 

How had Corpse screwed things up so badly in such a short period of time?

“Maybe if you told me sooner, we might have had more time to be…” Sykkuno’s voice cracked, as he took the mug. “To be friends.”

There it was again and it hurt way more in person. Sykkuno had never given any indication that it could have ever been more than that, so he didn’t know why it was so devastating. And there was nothing more Corpse could say to stop him from leaving.

The door clicked shut, Sykkuno was gone, and in his wake there was a gaping emptiness. In the apartment, and inside Corpse’s chest. Corpse put his mask on. He put his mask on, got into bed, and pulled the covers all the way up over his head. Because this was why he didn’t show people his face. 

Because of this.

\--

Corpse spent almost three full days in bed. He was certain his body and the illness inside it were punishing him for what he’d done. Punishing him for ever thinking he could experience something that wasn’t pain. He felt helpless.

Helpless against his illness,  
Against his anxiety,  
Unable to do a goddamn thing for Sykkuno.

It was a weight on his chest, like a leaded blanket with a fucking boulder on top. They shared a bed for one night. One single night. And the loneliness had grown teeth. It was violent, painful, and he hurt because Sykkuno was alone as well. He was alone and helpless- trapped in an apartment with this esoteric vaguely malevolent force.

Sykkuno wasn’t streaming. He put out a tweet that said he had a cold. Promised he’d get back to it as soon as he could. Corpse didn’t have to bother with such things for his fans. They’d come to accept that sometimes he needed to drop off the face of the earth. But he still worried sometimes that he was letting them down. 

It must’ve been hard for Sykkuno. He’d never really had to face that, and his fanbase cared to such an intense degree. He was probably feeling the weight of their disappointment. On top, of mourning the life he was going to lose. Had Sykkuno ever before had to lie in his bed and contemplate his mortality? Corpse had. It was a horrible thing to have to go through alone.

It was strange. Sykkuno’s pain was almost heavier than his own. Sykkuno’s rejection of Corpse’s feelings was a pain like a bug bite, while his empathy for Sykkuno was like a whole ass chronic illness. And Corpse had thought himself more self-centered than that. He was a Leo, weren’t Leos supposed to be full of themselves? So why was Corpses every waking moment so consumed with worry for Sykkuno. 

Corpse’s phone buzzed indicating his delivery driver was getting close. He needed to check his mail. So Corpse dragged himself out of bed, and his body screamed in protest. But a doctor once told him that moving was supposed to help with the pain. He didn’t believe it of course, but the thought always popped up when he needed to do something miserable. He covered his face, and shrugged on a hoodie. His heart pounded with terror that he might accidentally run into Sykkuno, but maybe there was a part of him that kind of wanted that to happen. And so with his hood up, and only one eye exposed, he ended up back on the elevator. Which of course reminded him of Sykkuno.

_But what didn’t?_

Luckily, there was a distraction in the lobby, in the form of an elderly, agitated Asian man with a book. Corpse was accosted, as soon as he stepped out from the lift. He said something that Corpse did not understand, and Corpse was pretty sure whatever he spoke was not English.

“Yo sólo hablo Inglés,” Corpse murmured, as the old man pointed from the book, to a mailbox, then rapped hard on the book. 

Corpse stepped closer, inspecting the mailboxes. The old man was tapping on Sykkuno’s box. Corpse pointed to the one beside it, at his own mailbox, then at his chest. The old man raised his eyebrows and eagerly pushed the book into Corpse’s chest, then tapped again on Sykkuno’s.

“I-” Corpse almost protested, but then the words that came out were something else entirely. “I can give it to him.” Corpse took the book. 

He really shouldn’t have taken the book. 

“Arigato,” The old man replied as he shuffled away, and Corpse realized all at once he’d been speaking Japanese the entire time.

“Wha…” Corpse looked down at the book. It too was in Japanese. 

What was he doing? Corpse sighed. Was he actually going to give it to Sykkuno, or was he just going sit on it for a couple months being too much of a coward to bring it to him? He didn’t even have months, he had a couple days. Then he didn’t know what would happen to Sykkuno, but based on how violent his sobs had been, he probably wouldn’t be around to collect a book.

The thought crushed his windpipe. He had to give it to Sykkuno tonight, and apologize, and maybe confess-

That thought was cut off by the delivery driver, Corpse accepted his meal, and grabbed his own mail, and on the elevator ride back up to his room he anxiously shifted his weight from foot to foot. Taking the book forced his hand. He had to talk to Sykkuno now.

And he had no idea what he was going to say.

\--

Corpse was starving, but also very curious what sort of Japanese book Sykkuno might have ordered. Although, the more Corpse thought about it, the less likely it seemed that it had come from Amazon. The book was brown, and weathered like an old encyclopedia, and Corpse suspected that it was meant to be read back to front. He downloaded a translator app on his phone, and then with his sandwich in one hand he hovered the camera over the characters written on the cover.

_Culture at the intersection of our world and other worlds_

“Woah wait,” Corpse flipped it open eagerly, and the pages fell flat on his counter as he took a bite from his dinner.

_This text dictates yokai, their habits and culture. How to block a protector and protect from damage._

Corpse smiled, the translator app was not going to make things easy, but it was something. It was the first tiny stirring of hope that Corpse had found and he was intensely grateful for it. He took another bite, and as he chewed, Corpse’s brain began to ask questions.

Who was that old man? Did he know Sykkuno needed this book? If so, how? Was it even safe to bring Sykkuno the book? Would it piss off his spirit-world boyfriend?

Corpse scrunched his nose. Not boyfriend. His… something that wasn’t boyfriend.

But could this book be a trick somehow? It couldn’t be. Could it? Why would the old man give it to him? If Sykkuno had ordered it, why didn’t he give it to Sykkuno? Unless Sykkuno told him to give it to Corpse?

Corpse exhaled. His head hurt.

There were two things he needed to do: read more of the book and message Sykkuno, and since he was terrified of the latter, he decided to start by skimming the book.

As Corpse flipped through he discovered pictures. Depictions of Yokai in that ancient Japanese art style with long languid lines and bulging exaggerated faces. It was creepy, and Corpse sort of loved it. He really should have used the translator more, but it was kind of a pain, and he sucked at reading on good days. 

After dinner, he took the book to his bed. He reached a section entitled: _Interaction and Coupling._ And he wasn’t sure if it was a mistranslation or an actual section dedicated entirely to Sykkuno’s exact situation.

_You can see the yokai you want to see. If you don't want to be seen, you need a circle._

Corpse laughed aloud. _What?_

_Yokai who break through the circle will be trapped for a short period of time. A place where observers can see and hear. Instructions to prepare detailed below._

Further down there were pictures of a hand with some sort of white powder, making a circle with two little swirly lines at the top and the bottom. He held his phone over a word written in the corner of the first image. 

_Salt_

Corpse pushed himself up out of bed, and went to the kitchen. Did he have salt? He found a white cylinder of it, and he suspected that it might have come with the apartment when he moved in. Then Corpse found himself pouring it out on the hardwood of his bedroom floor, trying to match the one in the picture.

_This is going to be a bitch to clean up._

He thought belatedly, and also wondered why he was doing it in the first place. It wasn’t as if Hiroki would come to his room, and if he did, Corpse certainly didn’t want the spirit trapped right next to his bed.

Corpse took a step back to admire it. He set the salt down on the side table, and quirked his head. Why did he do that?

Corpse briefly wondered if he might have been losing his mind. Until a small white rabbit poked its little head into the circle. 

Then Corpse knew he was losing his mind. 

Corpse leaned forward from where he was seated on the bed, dropping his chin into his folded fist. He shook his head. It was like watching the discovery channel, but in a salt circle in his bedroom. The little fluffy creature poked its nose in, sniffed around, then with a small hop, came in a bit further. It moved cautiously, glancing up at Corpse occasionally as if it wasn’t sure if he was friend or foe. 

Oh and the rabbit had antlers. Dark and delicate things that branched up from behind its long ears.

“Who are you?” Corpse whispered, hoping his voice didn’t frighten it away.

It looked up at him, then sat back so it’s little fluffy front feet came up off the ground. “A friend.”

“Oh. okay.” Corpse huffed a laugh. It talked. “Have we met?”

“Not formally,” the rabbit replied. “But I’ve been looking in on you for quite some time.”

“For quite some time?”

“About thirteen winters now.” 

“You’ve been looking in on me.” Corpse repeated. “Since I was ten?” He shook his head. 

So this is what Sykkuno felt. It really was a strange sensation to think yourself sane, and then encounter something so other that it wholly convinced you otherwise. For your logic center, or whatever part of your brain said: ‘this is real life’, be so casually lanced and flayed, leaving you in this uneasy state of bafflement, where all you had were questions, and no desire to have them answered.

“Yes.” It replied.

“Why me?”

“I’m not sure whether this will make sense to a mortal,” It started. “But have you ever encountered something sad and small, and been curious to watch how it grew?”

“You mean, like a pet?”

“Mm, not quite,” it replied, wiping a paw over it’s pink twitching nose. “It’s not as if I feed you.”

“Like a house plant?”

“Yes, much like a house plant.” Corpse found that in itself highly comical. Perhaps this was what Sykkuno had encountered speaking to Hiroki, differences in perception so strong that it was a little like speaking to an alien. Or another species, which in Corpse’s case, was the case. “Ever since you were a child,” it went on. “You’ve attracted some rather dark things. Pests, like... aphids, which feed off your pain. Occasionally I visit to frighten them off.”

“Well, uh, thank you,” Corpse laughed. “But that still doesn’t really answer why me?”

“How does your kind select a houseplant?” It asked. Corpse shook his head. He wouldn’t know. He could hardly keep himself alive let alone another living thing. “Is there something special from one fern to the next? Once I selected you, I simply grew fond of you since I considered you to be mine. Or not so much owned by me, as a responsibility of mine. All this is just a rather unexpected extension of that.”

“All this?” 

“Having Mr. Takeda bring the book, having you draw the salt circle, revealing myself.”

“Oh.” Corpse replied, as if the white rabbit that was speaking to him made any sense at all. “How-?”

“Some of my kind are able to influence mortals, at least those who possess some concept of our existence.” Corpse’s hand, the one that wasn’t supporting his confused head, came down, and he leaned in close. The bunny hopped forward closing the distance, and the tips of his fingers met soft fur, then his short nails were scritching lightly behind its ears. “We’re powerless against those who don’t believe we exist.” It explained. “And we cannot overpower strong desires. Were you strongly opposed to scratching behind my ear, I could not force you.”

“Yeah, I guess I didn’t really care one way or the other.” Corpse scratched around where the horns emerged from the fur. The rabbit pushed into his hand when he did, so it must have enjoyed it. Corpse found it oddly soothing, though it really should have terrified him. “What’s your name?”

“You won’t be able to pronounce it.” 

“Can I name you?” Corpse asked. The rabbit nodded. “Dazai?”

“It is as good as any other.” 

Corpse chuckled. _Dazai._ “So why did you want to give me this book? And talk to me?”

“The last time I looked in on you, a few weeks ago, you were looking healthier.”

“Was I now?” Corpse chuckled, thinking back to weeks ago. He didn’t recall being any less ill than usual.

“Not physically, spiritually.” Dazai replied. “There were less pests… around.” 

“And now?” Corpse asked. 

“Now, you are attracting all sorts of unpleasant things.” 

“Unpleasant things?” 

“Some of my kind, those that are weak, they can find strength in the suffering of mortals. Normally you collect mite-like things, that only feed on the physical pain. Those can be beneficial in a way, as a few will lessen your discomfort, but if they build up, they can start to weigh you down, which is usually when I come and frighten them off. Put your hand in the circle.”

Corpse followed the instruction and a little fluffy caterpillar like thing fell off of his wrist. “Ah- I kind of wish I didn’t know that was there.”

“As I said, they’re mostly harmless.” Dazai replied, his little nose came down to sniff at the pale pink fluff which had rolled itself into a ball. Then with a snap, the rabbit opened its mouth and ate the thing.

“Do you normally eat them?” Corpse asked.

“Yes.” 

“So I’m like a raspberry bush then,” Corpse said, amused by the thought. “Slightly more useful than a houseplant.” Could rabbit’s roll their eyes? Because whatever look Dazai was giving him told him that his joke wasn’t all that funny. “So you said they fed on physical pain?”

Dazai nodded. “There are others which feed on emotional distress, of which you’ve been emitting a great deal lately.”

Corpse snorted something akin to a laugh. “My bad.” 

“They don’t scatter the way the puffs do. They’ve been pushed back by my presence, but they’ll just return once I’m gone.”

“So they don’t look like little pink fluffs?” Corpse asked.

“No, they have different forms. Some look like animals, others less so. But they’re very draining, spiritually, they make you very weak.”

“Well, I appreciate you scaring them off.” Corpse replied. “I’m sensing that most things are afraid of you, Dazai. Should I be?”

“Loosely translated I am a god of decay, many find me unpleasant.”

“I don’t find you unpleasant.” Corpse said, easily, realizing then that he really didn’t. The little creature answered his questions as sincerely as it could and it was kind of cute. What more could he want from a god of decay? “But I’m not sure what I can do about the emotional distress. You see, my friend…”

“Is to become an immortal bride.” Dazai responded. 

“Yes, the thing, er- Hiroki." Corpse stumbled in his excitement. "Can you make him to let Sykkuno out of the marriage?” 

“I'm sorry." Dazai said somberly, "I cannot."

"Can you ask-?" 

"Among my kind I am widely disliked.” Dazai stated and Corpse almost laughed at the bluntness of the statement. He suspected he really was starting to like this rabbit. “But I intend to call on the friends I do have, and I will find a solution before they are wed.”

"Seriously?" Corpse's eyebrows furrowed. “Uhm, thank you, Dazai.” Corpse was suddenly unsure of how to repay this rabbit for this, and for apparently years of care. 

“In the meantime, the sapling bride is rapidly changing. If he is to hold onto his humanity, he’ll need to consume human.”

“Consume human?” Corpse repeated incredulously. “Human what? Meat? You know we can’t just pick that up at the grocery store, right?”

“A bit of blood should slow the transition. His humanity will slip away in his sleep, so preferably before he sleeps.”

_Okay… No big deal._

He just had to message Sykkuno, and ask him to drink his blood.

_Fuck._

“Could you please release me?” The rabbit asked politely.

Corpse scooped a portion of the salt, away leaving a break in the circle. And all at once the rabbit was totally gone. He wondered why the rabbit couldn’t show itself to Corpse, the way Hiroki showed himself to Sykkuno. Why the rabbit had required the salt? He made a mental note to ask about it. Also to ask if Dazai would require some sort of payment for his services. Then he glanced back at the book, lying open next to his phone and the pillow. 

He had a lot he needed to talk to Sykkuno about. It made his heart flutter. 

He opened discord and tapped out a quick message.

_hi_

He deleted it. 

_hey..._

Delete.

_sykkuno we really need to talk. this old man gave me a book and a rabbit came and talked to me and I think maybe things might be okay  
possibly_

Deleeeete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dazai after the character of the same name from Bungou Stray Dogs. This was chosen for two reasons, the first being that I like the way the name sounds, and the second being that both characters actions have rather ambiguous motives.
> 
> Do you trust Dazai?


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so excited for this chapter folks. Maybe you have too. 
> 
> Feels like forever ago that I teased it. Hehe.

_you probably aren’t going to believe this, but I might have met someone who can help._

Sykkuno’s heart positively exploded with activity. First just because the little icon with it’s little red notification was his, and secondly because the words were exactly what he needed to hear. It was like he knew, knew that Sykkuno had reached a whole new type of despair, whatever came after the stages of grief where you simply dreaded the inevitable. It was like already being dead, and being the only one mourning the life you could have had. That was where Sykkuno was at when Corpse’s message came through.

Sykkuno didn’t know how to respond. Hiroki was asleep. Could Sykkuno just go to Corpse right now?

His relationship with Hiroki had reached a kind of stasis in the last three days. Hiroki hadn’t cornered him since Sykkuno had asked him not to, which made Sykkuno feel that maybe some of the things he said actually reached the man. They’d conversed here and there, Hiroki didn’t seem to care when Sykkuno went out to pick up some groceries. But Hiroki spent much of the daytime asleep. Apparently maintaining a form that Sykkuno could see and hear required a great deal of energy, so he needed to rest frequently. 

In one brief conversation, Sykkuno had asked Hiroki if he _wanted_ to marry Sykkuno, and implied that he’d rather Hiroki not wed him out of some sense of obligation.

Hiroki had only responded that he knew he would grow to love Sykkuno, and that was all there was to his response. Further solidifying that any attempts Sykkuno made to change his mind were ultimately futile.

Sykkuno looked back at the message. It was still sitting there unanswered. 

Could I come over?

Sykkuno’s thumb hesitated. Seeing Corpse would surely do things to him, things Hiroki would feel. And Sykkuno really wanted to get through the next four days without his fiancé eating the guy he was crushing on. Sykkuno rolled over in bed to the pillow Corpse had used. It didn’t smell like him anymore, Sykkuno had spent too long crying into it, but it was nice to imagine that it did. His self-control faltered. Sykkuno hit send, and rolled out of bed. 

He really should have looked in the mirror before doing so. He opened his mirrored closet to fish out a pair of pants that weren’t pajamas. His reflection was haggard, the leaves were larger and thicker now, and there were a few that stuck up on the top of his head. Making him look like a total freak, but of course scissors didn’t do a damn thing against them. And there was a patch of woodi-ness spiking up from the left side of his chest in a sort of long star shape. It was just visible near his collarbone.

Sykkuno looked monstrous. He felt his throat closing with old hurt reigniting. Maybe he shouldn’t go see Corpse. His phone lit up.

_yeah, there’s something I have to show you_

Sykkuno’s curiosity pushed him out the door, and carried him the eight long steps to Corpse’s. He focused on his body, urging it not to do the thing…

The heart thing. He needed to not react to Corpse.

Then the door was swinging inwards, and Corpse was there.

And his heart did the thing.

\--

“Hey,” Sykkuno started. Corpse stepped aside to let him in, and Sykkuno had no idea what to say after that. He had been so cold towards Corpse the last time they spoke, he hated himself for it. And now he was standing before him, and he looked horrible and handsome at the same time. His one eye, the one that wasn’t covered, was lined with a blackness that could only come from severe sleep deprivation. And he had the mask on.

That simple fact cut into Sykkuno like a hot knife through butter. 

And they were just standing in Corpse’s foyer. Awkward together, totally unable to speak. Until all at once they did.

“I’m so-

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh,” Sykkuno laughed awkwardly. “Go ahead.”

“I shouldn’t have yelled at you. Especially when you were- when you weren’t doing good.” Corpse said sheepishly. His voice was very low, rough with disuse. Then his hand came up as if he was considering removing the mask.

And suddenly Sykkuno needed that, he needed to see Corpse’s whole face. Corpse’s hand hovered at the band that hooked around his ear, and Sykkuno’s voice found him.

“Hiroki threatened to eat you.” He said hurriedly. “He said it’s cause I-” Sykkuno hesitated. 

He wanted to see Corpse’s face. But that meant exposing himself. He shouldn’t have been afraid. Corpse already knew what he needed to confess. Two nights ago Sykkuno had been looking through their old conversation, regretting things. When he found the message the one he sent, before he’d known that his hot neighbor was Corpse. So there was no point getting embarrassed over something he already said, but his stomach squirmed anyways. Saying it to his face was different. 

But hiding this wouldn’t do either of them any good. Hiding it could end up putting Corpse in even more danger.

“When they eat humans they become more like them, or at least Hiroki does. He said that since I find you… uhm attractive, that he would eat you.”

Corpse looked taken aback. “That’s why? That’s why you’re avoiding me?” 

“I had to make sure he knew we were just friends. Nothing else… not that-” Sykkuno swallowed. He was embarrassing himself. “So you have to promise never to come to my place, it’s not safe.”

Corpse nodded slowly, as if he was still surprised by the revelation. “And I have to go soon. Hiroki’s asleep but he doesn’t like me being around you.”

“Because you’re attracted to me.” Corpse added. 

Sykkuno flushed. “Shut up. It’s not like this is news to you. You asked about it before…” It was hard for him to even finish the thought it was so embarrassing.

“So that didn’t change when you found out it was me?” Corpse asked, almost breathless with something like a laugh just on the edge of the words.

“Didn’t you have something to show me?” Sykkuno quickly diverted.

Corpse let out a breath. He looked like he was debating fighting for an answer. But maybe by changing the subject that was answer enough. Corpse turned and headed for the bedroom. “How long can you stay?” Corpse asked. 

“I- I really don’t know.” Sykkuno responded. “Uhm, no more than an hour.” It was after dinner, Hiroki usually woke around eight or nine. Sykkuno didn’t have long.

“Okay, can you come here for a sec?” 

To Corpse’s bedroom. That definitely wasn’t a great idea, Sykkuno thought as his feet went ahead and carried him over there. 

Standing at the doorway he found Corpse pouring something from a little white canister to finish a circle in the middle of his floor. There was a little flourish at the top, and one at the bottom, and it was so odd that Sykkuno almost laughed out loud.

“Uhm, whatcha got there?”

Corpse looked up from what he was doing. “Salt.”

Sykkuno laughed. Corpse peeled back his fabric mask, and set it on the bedside table with salt. Then he was giggling too, and Sykkuno felt so significantly better that he was almost high on the sensation.

“Okay, so look-” Corpse stuck his arm into the circle, and nothing happened. “Maybe… this was a dumb demonstration.”

Corpse rose and took one big step to cross his whole body through the circle. 

There was a gasp. It might have been his. But it also might have come from the horror that had dropped from Corpse’s shoulder. It was smooth, black and slimy, like a leech, with the tail of a fish, and little grabby hands. It gasped again

Corpse swiveled on one foot to face the thing, as it rolled and it’s hands dragged it’s body towards him again. “That’s unexpectedly horrifying.” Corpse commented curiously.

“Uhm, Corpse.” Sykkuno didn’t even realize it, but he was half-cowering behind the doorway. Corpse didn’t move, even though the thing was coming for him again. Then it hit the line of the salt and wheezed, it rolled and it’s hands dragged it along the perimeter, looking for a breach. “What is going on?” 

“Uh- I can explain.” Corpse replied with a chuckle, as if he’d just realized how insane he must’ve looked. He handed Sykkuno a book, open to the page with the salt circle. He then explained everything as best he could. He started with the book, where it had come from, then told Sykkuno about white rabbit that he named Dazai. Corpse did his best but it was still dizzying, like his first time speaking with Hiroki. Corpse leaned back against his bed while he spoke, and watched the horrifying leech trying to escape his trap. 

His dark shirt bunched around his arms. Corpse had a habit of pressing his thumb into the knuckle on his left hand while he spoke. Sykkuno’s eyes kept catching on the prominent veins in the soft lamplight, as his forearm flexed and fidgeted. There were no rings, the paint on his nails was chipping, and the sound of his voice was steadily lulling Sykkuno into a pleasant kind of stupor. Because it wasn’t just his voice, the words- it was hope on his tongue and Sykkuno had no idea how badly he’d needed it until he was presented with it. 

“And you trust Dazai?” Sykkuno asked at some point.

“I mean, he hasn’t lied so far.” Corpse replied. He’d given them the book. Even if it didn’t have anything useful, it still had information about the spirits, and their world. And that leech-like thing verified some of the other things Dazai had said.

“What if he wants something in return?” Sykkuno worried.

“I- I mean, he hasn’t done much other than bring me a book. I’ll ask him before I agree to anything else though.” Corpse promised, which made Sykkuno feel a little bit better.

“There’s one more thing, Sykkuno.” Corpse’s voice got soft, nervous. Sykkuno’s spine tingled. “Dazai said there was a way to slow the uhm... changing.”

Sykkuno suddenly felt terribly self conscious. He touched the fabric of his t-shirt and pushed the cotton against the spreading growth over his ribs. “What?”

Corpse swallowed and when he met Sykkuno’s eye, he winced. “He said that it might help if you drank human blood.” 

Sykkuno’s whole body squirmed with disgust. “C-Corpse…” 

“Sykkuno, I can see…” Sykkuno tugged the neckline of his shirt over the top spike. “How far does it go down?”

Sykkuno’s bit the edge of his tongue. He didn’t have to show him, but Corpse’s voice was so gentle that his hand was already moving. He took a step closer to the bed, close enough that he was almost standing between Corpse’s legs, then Sykkuno was lifting his shirt, in spite of his butterflying pulse. 

He rucked it up to show the whole thing. The bottom spike, which had been at his navel yesterday, was now dipping into his left hip, while the top climbed up to his collarbone, the center was sort of under his heart, it hadn’t spread laterally quite as far. The shade was just a little cooler than his pale skin, but it was textured with a grain like driftwood.

Corpse’s hand came to touch it, and his skin was hot and soft. “Can you feel it?” 

“No,” Corpse said, and his hand didn’t recoil straight away. His finger drifted down tracing the spike. Which set off the organ underneath. It pounded weakly against his ribcage at Corpse’s quiet tracing and he belatedly remembered that was dangerous. Sykkuno’s breath hitched and he let the shirt fall, forcing Corpse to withdraw.

Corpse didn’t know that spiking Sykkuno’s heart rate was dangerous. Was Corpse still teasing him, for admitting that he found him attractive? Corpse didn’t seem like he’d be that cruel. He must not have realized his touch had such an effect on Sykkuno.

As Sykkuno was confident Corpse had never thought of him in that way.

While Sykkuno was distracted, Corpse’s arm reached for his bedside table, and pulled out a little straight edged blade with a safety yellow sheath. At first Sykkuno was confused by it, then when he realized what it was for, his whole body tightened with concern.

“Corpse, wait, I’m scared.” Sykkuno breathed. The razor was touching the skin above Corpse's wrist. 

“You’re scared?” Corpse wore just the hint of a smile. There were more marks, all over his arm. Corpse was no stranger to pushing a blade into his skin. Sykkuno realized all at once, and the thought was so sickening that he actually felt his throat close over with it.

Not that Corpse was disgusting, no it was a violent bodily reaction to pain so acute that it appeared on the skin. Scars, parallel lines that were nowhere near his wrist. Non-suicidal. They only existed to hurt him, not kill him. 

The skin depressed and suddenly Sykkuno’s hand was over his. “Uhm- wait, no, wait,” Sykkuno stuttered. “Corpse, you can’t-”

“Why?” Corpse said.

Sykkuno didn’t know what to say to that. That he couldn’t bear the thought of Corpse spilling even a drop of blood on his behalf. That he couldn’t stand putting one more line on that arm. It probably didn’t matter to him. One more red line probably didn’t mean anything to him, but Sykkuno simply couldn't bear the thought in that moment.

“I-” Sykkuno met his eyes, they were almost grey, and Sykkuno’s throat burned. “I can’t. It- it’s making me sick.”

“Shut your eyes then.” 

Corpse moved his arm and Sykkuno couldn’t stop him, so he did shut his eyes.

“C-Corpse.” Sykkuno’s hand was over his mouth. The knife pulled away, but the evidence of it there on his arm swelling red. He lifted his arm, and Sykkuno shook his head, knuckles still over his lips, hoping Corpse would understand that he absolutely could not do this.

“Please Sy,” 

And it was that voice that broke Sykkuno’s resolve. He swallowed back the revulsion. His hands came out, one on the back of Corpse’s bicep, one at the wrist. His touch was light, then it tightened trying to find support for what he needed to do. He stared through Corpse’s forearm, to the window outside. 

Then Sykkuno turned away, closing his eyes. “I can’t.”

Corpse raised his arm to his own mouth and licked the stripe. Then like they were alive with a charge, his fingers found the back of Sykkuno’s neck. They threaded the few delicate leaves mixed in with the dark hairs.

And Corpse kissed him.

Sykkuno startled, and he tasted blood. He shivered and his head started to feel floaty. The blood was on his tongue. His heart was pounding in an alarmingly pleasant way. Sykkuno should have pushed him away, but instead his hands were clasping in Corpse’ t-shirt pulling him closer. Sykkuno was falling into him, he never wanted to breathe again. He pressed for more, not of the metallic taste, just more of Corpse’s tongue. Then the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickled.

Hiroki was coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts?


	10. Chapter 10

Sykkuno shoved Corpse back. Corpse looked like he felt- ruined.

Hiroki looked agitated, not quite murderous. Had he not seen? Sykkuno prayed he hadn’t seen. Then he took a step towards Sykkuno, landing him squarely in the circle of salt.

And that was when his face turned murderous. Sykkuno lunged towards him, stepping into the circle himself and feeling a barrier seal up behind him. Like stepping into a cylinder. Hiroki’s hand came up to touch his arms, as they were crowded together into the relatively tight space. 

“Hi- Hiroki.” Sykkuno stuttered, pressing his body into him. He buried his face in Hiroki’s neck, and with lips still burning from Corpse’s touch, he pressed them into the smooth wooden plane. It surprised Hiroki. Sykkuno felt him stop. He pulled back to check Hiroki’s expression, to determine whether it was still terrifying. It was neutral, was that better? “I- I’m glad you came.”

His heart was most certainly pounding. He was bluffing. Hiroki was going to call him on it and kill Corpse. Sykkuno pressed his body into Hiroki more urgently, desperate to distract him. 

“Ask him to let us out.” Hiroki said, voice low with what Sykkuno hoped was arousal and not lethal intent.

“Please don’t eat him.” Sykkuno pleaded, and Hiroki’s hands drifted over his body, like he was testing how well Sykkuno suppressed his urge to recoil. “I- I like the way you look now.” 

“Do you trust me?” Hiroki asked. Then he crushed the wheezing, leech-like thing with a sickening crunch beneath his foot. This had to be a test too. A test Sykkuno had no idea how to pass.

Sykkuno was just beginning to panic, when Hiroki pushed him up against the barrier. It was like a glass window, curved to fit Sykkuno’s back. Then all at once those pine-tasting lips were over his again, and Sykkuno couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t get away. There was absolutely nowhere to go, everything was this impossibly strong creature. Hiroki had one wrist pinned, and his other hand was drifting lower and lower on his back. 

And his head was panicking, it was like being restrained, like getting shoved into a locker by a bully. His heart started to hurt with terror at the restriction. But Sykkuno didn’t resist. He couldn’t resist. He had to show Hiroki he’d won, that there was no point killing Corpse. Sykkuno would let him do anything, to prevent that.

Hiroki broke their kiss, and turned to face Corpse. In his periphery, it looked as though Corpse hadn’t moved a muscle. His arms were still braced behind him on the bed, exactly as Sykkuno had left him. And Sykkuno’s stomach burned with barbed self-loathing. Kissing Hiroki felt wrong. Sykkuno felt disgusting. He couldn’t look. Surely Corpse’s face would show hatred at Sykkuno's betrayal, hatred and disgust. 

“Ask.” Hiroki said again, more forcefully this time.

“P-please-” Sykkuno stuttered, eyes downcast.

“Look at him.” Hiroki ordered.

Sykkuno felt his eyes filling with tears, and he looked up at Corpse. But Corpse didn’t spare him a glance. No, Corpse’s entire being was poised on a spring, about to lunge at Hiroki. Rage hung in an almost visible aura around him. His eyes were black and sharp, and Sykkuno realized he still had the blade in one hand.

And Sykkuno was caught in the seconds before disaster. Corpse, delicate as glass, about to throw himself into a wrecking ball. 

“Corpse.” Sykkuno’s voice was sharp. Corpse startled, then his eyes flicked to Sykkuno with confusion. Like he’d just woken from a trance. “Let us out.” 

And for a split second he was terrified that Coprse wouldn't do it. Then he did, Corpse moved his foot out and kicked the salt. Hiroki took Sykkuno’s hand and led him away, towards the front door. Sykkuno stumbled along after him. The man was moving quick. And Sykkuno belatedly realized that might be the last time he’d ever see Corpse. He looked over his shoulder but it was far too late.

Sykkuno’s door opened before Hiroki reached it. Then shut behind them without his touch. He kept dragging Sykkuno, all the way to his bedroom. 

One second Hiroki was in front of him, vice like grip on his hand, then next he was behind Sykkuno, blocking the only exit. Sykkuno whipped around and Hiroki took his wrist and bent it behind Sykkuno’s back, angling it so that it forced Sykkuno’s chest into his own.

“His blood is on your tongue.” Hiroki said, venomously. 

“I- I thought you said we were supposed to…” Sykkuno blubbered, he was shivering with fear. Tremors that gripped him by the spine and thrashed.

“He knew it would slow your transition. How?” 

Sykkuno tried to shift his body, to change Hiroki’s grip while he rambled. “A book, he just read it in a book. He told me-”

“I don’t care.” Hiroki spat, tightening his hold, and twisting it such that even the slightest movement caused discomfort.

“I- I'm sorry Hiroki” Sykkuno’s voice was breathy, frightened. He wished it didn’t sound so pathetic.

“Hush love” Hiroki purred, easing Sykkuno’s wrist back, just far enough that it started to hurt. 

It pushed the breath from Sykkuno’s lungs. “Ah- please Hiroki, I'm sorry.”

“I've been well fed for almost two hundred years, blood of a clan with bloodlust.” Hiroki said. “I could crush his bones one at a time. Each tiny bone in his hand, then the wrist, then up the arm.” At each point Hiroki back bent Sykkuno’s wrist further and further, driving shooting bolts of pain up his arm. “I could shatter each one individually until the pain drove him mad.”

“No!” Sykkuno sobbed.

“It seems you overestimated my patience, my love.” Hiroki said and Sykkuno’s back suddenly arched as it felt like the ligaments in his wrist were being stretched to their limit. “I have no tolerance for disgrace. You belong to me.”

Hiroki let go and Sykkuno exhaled a shaky sigh of relief.

Before Hiroki’s hand roughly shoved at his shoulder, causing Sykkuno to stumble and fall to his knees. It hurt, and the jolt dislodged the tears, one dribbled down his left cheek.

“We do not have blood.” Hiroki went on. “But to swallow a bit of me, would get your transition back on track.” 

Sykkuno swallowed, he was eye-level with Hiroki’s hips. Another tear slipped free, he tried to swallow back a sob. He sounded pathetic. He felt Hiroki’s fingers on his chin. Far too gently for the position he was in. 

“You are to be my wife.” Hiroki said softly. “I wish to treat you with respect. But when you behave like this-”

The hand wrapped around the back of Sykkuno’s skull and roughly shoved his face into the bulge of his silken robe. Sykkuno gasped with shock, and it was followed by a gathering sob. He was afraid, he wanted to escape. And then the hand, which was holding him in place, was gone, and the fingers were back at his chin tilting his face up to look into Hiroki’s milky white eyes. 

“There are no warnings after this, my love.”

And then he was gone. And Sykkuno didn’t even rise from his bedroom floor. He simply crumpled inward to cry.

\--

At some point Corpse’s arms had given out, and he’d fallen back into his bed. He wanted to kill something. A yokai. He thought about spending the entire night reading that book, and the broken translations until he fucking figured out how to tear Hiroki apart.

Corpse didn’t know how long his head was stuck on that train of thought. It felt like forever before he could think about something that wasn’t beating that fucking thing senseless. His head kept replaying the sounds Sykkuno made, the panicked whine as Hiroki’s hurt him and scared him. 

And now- now what? Was Sykkuno even okay? Corpse panicked and fished out his phone. Was it safe? Should he call? Could he text? What if Hiroki was hurting him right now?

Corpse called.

[call ended]

Can't talk. I'm okay.

_did he hurt you?_

No.  
Are you okay?

_not even a little bit_

You're alive.

_only because you'd be pissed at me if I wasn't_

Corpse saw Sykkuno typing. It went on for a long time. There was typing. Then it stopped. Then typing and it stopped. But a message never came. Corpse couldn’t think of a response either. It seemed… trivial to talk about the kiss. And Corpse felt guilty, it had obviously been risky. Hell, it nearly got him killed.

But it was because of the kiss that Sykkuno had thrown himself at Hiroki. It was Corpse’s fault that Sykkuno had to-

In Corpse’s head it played out again, Hiroki’s hands wandering over Sykkuno’s trembling body. Corpse’s fist tightened and suddenly he realized the knife was still in his hand. And he realized he had the key to making the rage and anguish disappear in his hand. 

And then his head was full with it. He could put the knife in, slash his arm open. Then he wouldn’t feel like this. He could replace that jagged jealousy, the frustration at his helplessness, his self-hatred at having put Sykkuno in that position. All of it could be exchanged for pain.

Corpse sat up, the blade clicked as it was released from its sheath, and Corpse’s mind narrowed to the point, to the flat edge. He was going to bleed, he was going to destroy himself. And it wouldn’t feel like this anymore, he could stop fucking feeling like this.

His phone lit up. Corpse looked down at the knife, then retracted the blade. Sykkuno took priority.

Corpse

_?_

Where's that knife? 

_here_

Can it be somewhere else?

_i don't do that shit anymore_

Corpse exhaled. He shouldn’t lie to Sykkuno, but technically it wasn’t a lie. Technically. He was still clean. He stared at his phone, trying to will himself to put the knife somewhere else.

Why did you?  
I'm sorry  
I can't stop thinking about it

Neither could Corpse. He pushed both hands over his face. He just needed a break, a break from feeling things, or to be punished, for not doing enough, or for doing too much. He didn’t even know. Corpse didn’t even know what the hell the harm did for him, all he knew was that he needed to fucking do it. 

_sometimes i don’t know  
i know why i used to  
sure you want to talk about it though?  
it’s not exactly a light topic_

I'm already crying  
I doubt I'll be able to stop anytime soon  
And I want to know  
Idk why  
I just care  
Maybe if I had a future  
I'd want to know how I could make it not happen

_i was in pain  
mental health was… poor  
i felt like i was faking it  
all of it, like I was lying  
but if there was evidence  
something real  
something someone could see  
then maybe i wasn't just a lazy piece of shit  
maybe i actually was in pain_

I would believe you

_i know you would_

But you weren't really doing it to show people were you?  
You were really trying to convince yourself? Right?

Corpse felt his eyes burning. What was even fucking happening. He didn’t cry. He wasn’t capable. Sykkuno had said the very thing Corpse had never quite found the words for. It wasn’t like he’d ever shown the marks to someone when he was harming before. He was so ashamed of them that he wore long sleeves in August, just to cover them up. And yet he still felt like he was doing it for attention.

It was like he didn’t even believe himself when he was in pain. Corpse rubbed his eyes, there were no true tears, just heart-wrenching pain. Pain that Sykkuno knew was there. 

Corpse picked up the knife and tossed it into a corner. It clattered against drywall.

_can you stop thinking about it now?_

Where's the knife? 

_somewhere else_

Good

_you made it not happen  
congrats_

Can I make the scars go away too?  
Or not the marks  
I wish I could make you less alone in the past

_i wish i could make you less alone right now_

Me too

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg, thank you for all the comments on the last chapter and I hope you enjoyed this one. This story is my whole life right now. I finished Chapter 17 today, and I think I'm approaching the end, I'm anticipating about 20 chapters. Possibly. 
> 
> Also, uh, ding dong angst is here.


	11. Chapter 11

Corpse tried to read the book left by Hiroki, but it proved difficult to understand. Information was scattered. And what he did find wasn’t what he wanted. Like the binding that the Takeda clan had used initially. He couldn’t find anything about marriages or about changing into a Yokai. And his progress was slowed and garbled by the translator app. Corpse briefly fantasized about tearing the pages from the spine. Then the thought dreamily merged into an image of tearing Hiroki’s ribs from his spine. Corpse suddenly seized the book and considered throwing it into the same corner he’d tossed the knife. 

But his body was starting to ache and it was the middle of the night. He didn’t want to wake his neighbors. Or he didn’t want to wake one specific neighbor. At least he hoped Sykkuno had fallen asleep. So Corpse settled for pushing the book off his pillow and onto the floor. Then he let his face fall forward, so he could groan into the cushion.

His frustration was physically exhausting him. He wanted to sleep but every time he shut his eyes he could feel Sykkuno’s lips. Feel and the lovely way he folded into Corpse. How his hands tightenened in Corpse’s shirt while his head short-circuited. Corpse felt a noise stirring in his throat, but he just turned his face out of the pillow to sigh. He might have imagined it, Sykkuno leaning into the kiss. There was only a half a second between that and Sykkuno pushing him away.

Corpse felt his face pulling into a grimace. _No._

His mind went there in spite of his protests. Hiroki’s hands over Sykkuno’s body. The spirits mouth crushing Sykkuno’s.

Then Corpse was pushing himself up, and reaching for the salt on his bedside table. He came to sit on the edge of the bed, and leant over to finish the circle on the floor. 

For Dazai to appear in.

“What are you doing?”

“Being emotionally distressed.” Corpse sunk down off the edge of his bed to sit on the floor next to the ring of salt. “Hey, is it possible for you to check on Sykkuno?” 

Dazai’s ear twitched to the wall which backed Sykkuno’s main room. “He was crying but is close to sleep now.”

“Can you really tell from here?” Corpse asked, suddenly wishing that he himself could verify the information. “You don’t need to go closer?” 

“I can hear him as clear as I hear you. He's fine.” The rabbit replied. It didn’t help with Corpse’s concern. “And… his energy is actually rather uncomfortable to be around.”

“Why?” Corpse asked. “Because of Hiroki.”

“No, he is innately purifying.” The rabbit responded. “Were the situation different I would advise you to spend more time around him.”

“What's my innate energy? Pain?” 

“You smell like you are close to death.” Dazai explained. “Which is what draws those that feed on pain and distress.”

“And those that feed on them.” 

“Yes.”

There was quiet for a moment. Corpse considered the creature with its long white ears and dark antlers. The anger in his chest was fading, maybe not disappearing but being distracted. Was Dazai doing that? Corpse couldn’t tell. Had Dazai scared off some tiresome thing that was feeding off him, like the leech he’d discovered earlier, or was it simply the presence of another that was soothing his tumultuous mind?

“How come you can't show yourself to me, like Hiroki can to Sykkuno?” Corpse asked. “Why do you need the salt circle?” 

“It would be too taxing to maintain my form and speak in such a way as you could hear.” Dazai replied, and Corpse smiled at his stilted overly formal manner of speaking. “And then if I wanted you to be capable of touching me, that would be even more work.”

Corpse smiled and stretched a hand into the circle. Did Dazai move his hand? Or did he? Corpse didn’t really care either way. He ran a flat palm over the wonderfully soft fur, then curled his fingers to scratch around the creatures neck and chin.

“Hm.” He hummed, as Dazai butted into his hand angling his head to get a better scratch.

“Hiroki is stronger.” Dazai explained. “I haven't eaten a mortal for quite some time.”

“Why is Hiroki doing this, anyways?” Corpse asked, as the thought occurred to him. Were some Yokai simply cruel? But why would Hiroki bind himself for eternity to someone like Sykkuno who clearly detested him. 

“Hiroki is of an ancient breed; his kind do not believe mortals to be capable of sound reason. In his mind, what he is doing is right.”

“He thinks-?” Corpse cut his own thought off with a grumble of frustration. His anger flared. 

“Many Yokai do,” Dazai went on. “Particularly ones who have been worshipped.”

“And what about you, Dazai?” Corpse asked, withdrawing his hand from the salt circle. “Do you think mortals are capable of thinking?”

“I don’t spend much time around them.”

“You won’t hurt my feelings, Dazai.”

“Hiroki thinks of your companion as you might think of a cat that is out on it’s own in the cold. He aims to adopt it, rescue it from a miserable life of hardship.”

Corpse turned his nose, disgusted at Hiroki’s disregard for Sykkuno’s freedom. For Sykkuno’s ability to choose for himself what he wanted. “Does he not realize that Sykkuno will resent him?”

“Feelings like these fade when you live as long as we do.” Dazai replied, and his tone struck Corpse as dismissive. Or maybe it was the fact that Dazai had used the word we, equating himself with Hiroki. Perhaps that was what irked Corpse and laced his next query with a sharpness that he didn’t fully mean. 

“And you, Dazai?”

Dazai’s ears twitched, and he quirked his head at Corpse. “I prefer to let mortals be. It is interesting to watch what they do with their limited time.”

“Plus you eat the things that feed on us as we die.”

“Yes, I am a bit biased.” And Corpse appreciated the honesty. He held out his hand again, and quietly scritched the fluff around Dazai’s antlers.

“So did you have any ideas for saving Sykkuno?” Corpse finally asked. “Or did you just come to tell me I was being too distressed?”

“I do, though it is not my finest scheme.” Dazai replied. “Based on Hiroki’s behaviour earlier-”

“Wait?” Corpse interrupted. “Were you here? When Hiroki and Sykkuno…”

“Yes, I believe Hiroki was too… preoccupied to notice me.”

Corpse covered his mouth with a hand, in a gesture that might have looked like he was thinking but was really covering a wince. “And?”

“He doesn’t respond well to his bride’s romantic interest in you.”

Corpse snorted a laugh. That might have been an understatement. But Dazai had it backward, Corpse was the one with ‘romantic interest’ not Sykkuno. “Sykkuno doesn’t- well, he doesn’t think of me like that.” 

The rabbit shook out his ears. “I disagree. I don’t think Hiroki would be nearly as bothered if you were fruitlessly pursuing.” 

Corpse felt a warmth blooming in his chest at the thought. And he kind of liked Dazai even more for having said it. Even if Corpse had zero indication that it could possibly be true. It was a pleasant thought. “Anything else you’ve learned?”

“Hiroki has been away from the spirit world for hundreds of years. His entrapment by the Takeda clan, and absence has impacted his social standing. Many look down on him for taking orders from a mortal master. So I believe that he is using this wedding, to not only show that he is free, but is taking a bride to show mastery of a mortal.”

“So he’s overcompensating.”

“In a sense,” Dazai said, and he didn’t smile but his tone seemed to carry some amusement. “Which means that he may be dissuaded if his bride were to dishonor him in some way.”

“Dishonor him? Like? By sleeping around?” Corpse suggested half jokingly. “Sykkuno would probably do anything to get out of this thing with Hiroki. I could go over there right now.”

“Hiroki would likely kill you.” Dazai warned. “And possibly his bride as well. No, ideally we’d like him to simply dissolve the engagement. Which he may be inclined to do, if it would save him face before his peers.”

“You mean…” Corpse said. “By pulling something at the wedding?”

“Yes.”

“And why wouldn’t he simply kill us at the wedding?”

“That would be messy, and disrespectful on the grounds where the ceremony would take place.” 

“That seems… risky Dazai. I don’t like the idea of waiting until the ceremony.” Corpse worried. “And like, how would I even get into the ceremony?” Corpse felt his cheeks heating, realizing that he’d implied that he, himself, should be the one to ‘do disgraceful things’ with Sykkuno at his wedding.

“Yes, I” - Dazai hesitated. - “also have an idea for that but I’d like a little more time to determine whether it is our only option.”

“Okay. Is there something I could tell Sykkuno?” 

“You should not tell him of this, no.”

“But Dazai-”

“If Hiroki believes the plot to be a means of escape, he will simply punish his bride, and proceed. His pride would only be wounded if it appeared to him that his bride genuinely desired another over him.”

“Genuinely… as in…” Sykkuno needed to actually have feelings for him? Corpse was dazed by the thought. 

Dazai went on without really noticing. “I will continue to observe Hiroki in the coming days. I too would prefer that a plan be less subjective. Will you please release me?”

Corpse leaned out towards the salt, but paused, hand hovering over the little ridge of white. “Um, Dazai, one last thing, I really appreciate your help, even if it’s just been by explaining what’s going on. Will it cost me my soul or something?”

Dazai shook his head, which ruffled his ears a little. “No, if you survive, I may ask that you draw such a circle as this on occasion, so that you might scratch me behind the ears. And in this way, I shall consider your debt recompensed.”

Corpse smiled. “Deal.”

\--

Sykkuno’s eyes hurt. They were painful and swollen. He hadn’t seen Hiroki since…

Since the previous night. His wrist still hurt, as did his knees. Everything hurt. And already Sykkuno could feel Hiroki’s presence, as if he were pacing outside the bedroom door. Waiting for Sykkuno to get out of bed. 

Which was why Sykkuno was still in bed, well past noon. His stomach growled. Another for the list of parts of him that hurt. But when there was a monster lurking outside your bedroom door, hunger became less pressing. Sykkuno also hadn’t risen because rising would mean walking past the mirror of his closet. 

And he was afraid of what he looked like. He could hear and feel fresh leaves that had grown overnight. So what was even the point of drinking Corpse’s blood? Maybe it was too diluted, having come from Corpse’s tongue rather than the source.

Sykkunos body flickered alive at the memory, the first pleasant feeling all morning. But immediately following it was the crushing realization that he’d never get to feel it again. Sykkuno groaned into his pillow as his throat closed with a sob that his body was much too tired to actually make. 

Sykkuno heard the click of his doorknob, and his heart seized. He scrambled up to a sitting position, straightening the sweatshirt he slept in as he rose. Hiroki entered but stayed by the door, perhaps because he could feel Sykkuno’s fear as it pulsed against the ring on his finger. 

“You seem to be doing better.” Hiroki stated. Sykkuno’s fists tightened in his covers. He kept his eyes on Hiroki and didn’t respond. “Your transition was not too much delayed. You actually look rather lovely today.”

“What do you want?”

“That was all,” Hiroki replied. “I was worried that you might have taken on some characteristic of that diseased thing, but it appears as though your body simply used the energy to make you prettier.” 

“What will happen once…?” Sykkuno couldn’t finish the thought. 

“Once we are wed and your mortality has fallen away, we will spend some time in the other world, until you acclimate to our manners and customs.”

“And how long will that take?”

“Thirty, maybe forty years.”

“I won’t be able to see anyone, my friends or family for… thirty years.” 

“It’ll pass in the blink of an eye, my love.” Hiroki reassured him. “Besides for them, you will have been long dead, and you’ll probably still be too weak to feed on humans, so they wouldn’t even be able to see you.”

Somehow Sykkuno’s mind had expected this, and it hadn’t at the same time. So Hiroki’s words pierced him like a knife, and it was like the knife had always been there. And then for a moment, his mind simply refused to believe it, and he almost laughed. 

“Please go.”

Hiroki lifted an eyebrow, as if he was mildly annoyed that his future bride was cutting their conversation off so abruptly. And Sykkuno didn’t even care. He crawled back under the covers, buried his face under the pillow and tried to cry, but nothing came. He was too emptied out for even that. Sykkuno pulled out his phone and typed out a message to his mom.

I love you.

Then the tears came all of a sudden. Like they were waiting for him to do something real. Something final. Sykkuno quickly switched to Discord.

Corpse  
I want to message people  
to say goodbye

Tears blurred the words. Suddenly his thoughts filled with Corpse. What did he say? How did he say goodbye? He wasn’t done. It couldn’t be done. Sykkuno covered his mouth under the dark covers so Hiroki wouldn’t hear his stuttering breath, as a sob collapsed his chest.

And I can't do it.

Sykkuno hit backspace until the message was clear. He tried again.

Corpse  
I keep trying  
to send messages  
and I can't  
cause everything makes me cry

I can’t stop thinking about  
sitting on your couch  
and watching speedruns  
once wasn’t enough  
one sleepover  
wasn’t enough  
One kiss

Sykkuno deleted all of it and sobbed. It wasn’t enough.

\--

Distract me

Corpse was thinking of Sykkuno when his message came in. But, if he was being honest, Sykkuno had been on his mind constantly, since Dazai had left the previous night. It was getting late in the afternoon, the day before Sykkuno’s wedding. And Corpse still hadn’t figured out what the hell he was supposed to say to the man.

Corpse had been over the conversation with Dazai in his mind. He felt like there was something he wasn’t getting from it. Dazai thought Sykkuno liked Corpse for some reason. Corpse knew that wasn’t the case, didn’t he? Perhaps it was wishful thinking, or simply because it had been spoken aloud, but suddenly Corpse needed to know for sure. But how…?

The only thing he’d come up with, thus far, was confessing his own feelings. Because, hypothetically, if Sykkuno felt the same way, he would then tell Corpse. The problem with that was - Corpse covered his eyes with the heels of his hands and let out a groan from deep within his chest. - it was so embarrassing.

And worse still… What if Sykkuno didn’t feel the same way? Then what? Dazai’s plan was just fucked? 

Corpse glanced down at his phone. He should probably respond to Sykkuno.

_heyy  
what's going on?_

I'm scared

_it's okay to be scared  
we're going to get you out of this  
you know that right? _

I just need to think about something else for a minute

_uh okay  
shit  
um  
like…  
the stuff you’re going to do when this is over_

I can’t even think that far ahead  
I just hit this wall

_stop it  
you play bass right?  
we’ll do music  
make a song together_

What?  
I’m not good enough for that.  
How did you know I play bass?

_i pay attention  
sometimes  
someone mentioned it once_

What else?

_we’ll… stream  
idc what we play  
something together_

I want…  
I want to eat dinner  
And watch anime together

_i want that too_

Corpse there’s so much I didn’t get to do

_we’ll do it  
anything you want  
after this is over_

No, it’s like…  
There’s things  
Nevermind

_like what?  
what’s the dumbest thing  
that you want_

I don’t know

_sykkuno  
come on  
you wanted a distraction_

A high school anime romantic confession

_yeah?  
what kind?  
blushing and stuttering?  
after school?  
with everything all golden and shit?  
or like cherry blossoms?_

Cherry blossoms I think

_i'll do it_

Corpse

_look just picture me as a like cute anime girl  
or guy, I guess  
but in a school girl outfit regardless_

What are you doing? 

_what does it look like?  
b-baka_

This isn’t real

_how do you it isn’t real?_

Baka  
What would you say then?  
That you've always liked me?  
Ever since we were childhood friends?

_no  
cause we only just became friends  
like this year  
i don't know what i'd say  
but it wouldn't be something dumb  
haha i kinda feel like an anime school girl_

Why?

_cause i can't find the words_

To pretend confess to me? 

_yeah, cause even for a shitty text confession  
you still deserve something… right  
cause you're so intensely good  
that it makes everything you touch good_

Corpse paused. Was he really about to do this… His heart was pounding. Ringing in his ears. He had no idea where he was getting this courage, maybe it was urgency. The kiss was still there, in the back of his mind. Where it always was. Maybe Corpse needed to know before Sykkuno was married off to another. Regardless, he found himself typing quick, hitting send without thinking. _Fuck it._

_cause you’re kind  
and you take care of plants  
and people  
you’re gentle  
and i want you  
i mean  
i want to ask you if we could  
i want to kiss you again  
for real this time_

_fuck_  
_i think i fucked it up_  
_i think i was just supposed to say that i like you_

_i like you sykkuno_

_sykkuno?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, so... uh turns out the angst didn't leave, and it's still just chillin' kinda like Hiroki. Lol.
> 
> Comments are so sweet! Seriously! (Also hilarious) Thank you!!


	12. Chapter 12

“No!” Sykkuno sobbed. Immaterial hands scrabbling at a phone he could no longer touch. He hurriedly read it again, it flooded his brain with something so good he thought he’d die without it. Then the screen timed out, it went black.

“Fuck.” He gasped the curse through trembling lips. And his breath didn’t even affect the air. Sykkuno’s body still hurt like it was real, still burned like it was alive with a pulse. So why couldn’t he pick up his goddamn phone?

The sun was setting outside his window. Sykkuno was freaking out. He was supposed to have more time. Something was wrong. Sykkuno pushed himself up in bed, though the blankets had long since fallen through him. He felt the same as he always was, and totally different, a foreign creature occupying his skin. Or he was now inside a foreign creature. He didn’t know and it was terrifying. He was on his feet, still losing his mind. He needed to reply to Corpse.

He needed Hiroki to change him back.

He was on his feet intent on his mission, until the mirror. There was no-one standing in it. He should have looked in the mirror earlier, he belatedly realized. He thought he had more time.

He couldn’t grab the knob for his bedroom door, so he braced himself and passed right through it. It didn’t feel any different than air. Hiroki was sitting on his couch, sprawled out, leisurely, but when he looked up his eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Look at you.” he said.

Sykkuno had come out here intending to shout, to scream to beg Hiroki to turn him back. But as soon as he laid eyes on Hiroki he recalled how futile it all was. The loss slammed into Sykkuno’s already battered chest, and rather than a protest he simply folded inwards as pain overtook him.

He felt rather than saw Hiroki’s movement. The man was approaching him with soft steps. “Hush love,” Hiroki reached out a hand and Sykkuno recoiled and the hand missed his shoulder. Sykkuno’s knees were shaking, he thought he might fall to the floor, but he never wanted to kneel before Hiroki again.

“You’re beautiful, indescribable.” Hiroki said. “Surely it was your remorse that has brought this about. You regretted your insolence and now your body has changed to be with me.”

Sykkuno wanted to scream, but his chest was all hollowed out. There weren’t any words. Corpse hadn’t been able to save him, the little white rabbit or whatever did nothing. Sykkuno’s life was lost.

“We can go home now.” Hiroki said, somehow still overjoyed. Hardly lending a single thought to Sykkuno’s intense distress. “Through here, love.” 

Hiroki held out a hand to Sykkuno and gestured to one of his living room windows. It was glowing ever so slightly around the edges. He could still see beyond the glass. There was the city block beyond his, and past that the pink streaked sky. 

Sykkuno glanced at the wall that divided his living from Corpse’s bedroom. He wanted to run, run to Corpse. Could he even stand to see Corpse once more? Would he regret it if he didn’t? Then he felt Hiroki’s hand over his. 

_No._

This was his final choice. Hiroki couldn’t take this from him. Not this. Sykkuno wrenched on Hiroki’s hold to no avail. 

“No!” He shouted, his voice finding him at last. “Let go of me!”

Hiroki’s grip didn’t falter. “I don’t want to marry you! Fucking- stop! Let me go!” Hiroki dragged him towards the illuminated window, heedless of his screaming. Sykkuno couldn’t recall ever having screamed before. Maybe at a yell, but not like this- not in a way that scraped his throat raw. But his desperation was so much more intense now. And his first and only screams were silence. Corpse would never hear them. 

He fought every step, but Hiroki was stronger. So much stronger than him. “Please Hiroki,” He sobbed, as Hiroki stepped into the light, pulling the tips of Sykkuno’s fingers through. Sykkuno looked back over his shoulder at that wall. 

“I don’t want this.”

\--

Corpse was in agony.

His message didn’t show if it was read. But there sure as hell wasn’t a response. Staring at it was pure torture, putting his phone down was equally horrible. Corpse hated himself. He looked at the messages. He wanted to delete them so desperately, but Sykkuno had been there, he’d been responding so quickly. Something had to have happened. Something that prevented him from responding.

Hiroki could have come in, forcing Sykkuno to put his phone down. It was possible. Corpse’s chest hurt with terror at the other option. Which was that Sykkuno didn’t know what to say because… 

Corpse squeezed his eyes shut. His anxiety would have a fucking field day if he dared to think that. He needed to keep existing in limbo. Sykkuno wouldn’t do this, he knew that much at least. Corpse filled in the gap in his salt circle without really thinking. He wished that it had been an impulse sent by Dazai but it wasn’t. It was his own. He wanted Dazai to appear, to tell him what was going on with Sykkuno. 

Because if Dazai didn’t come, Corpse was probably going to risk his life going over there to get rejected in person. His fear had him glued to the phone. His anxiety told him to pull the covers up, to hide. Then Corpse was on his feet, he was in his foyer and he honestly didn’t remember leaving his room. His hand was on the door knob and he didn’t have his mask. He was trembling, terrified, and he was leaving the apartment. 

_Sykkuno specifically asked me not to get myself killed by Hiroki._

Corpse sucked in a long slow breath, trying to steady himself. He checked his phone one last time. Sykkuno still hadn’t responded. It had been twenty six minutes. Did he really need an answer that badly? Was it worth dying for?

And what if Sykkuno was perfectly fine, just sitting in his bed, staring disgusted at the confession… Corpse banged his head into the wood of the door. 

_Fuck it._

Corpse pulled open the door and strode over to Sykkuno’s. Having his heart broken, being killed by some spirit world tree man- all seemed preferable to his current emotional state.

Corpse rapped on the door. 

He heard nothing. Was Sykkuno still in his bedroom? Surely he’d hear the door. The apartment was tiny, there was almost nowhere that you wouldn’t have heard the door. Corpse knocked again. “Sykkuno?”

He tried the door. It was locked. He called Sykkuno’s phone, then stood with an ear to the wood panel, listening for the ring. He heard it, distantly, and nothing else. No movement. Corpse rattled the handle, before belatedly realizing he might freak out the neighbors if he tried to kick the door down.

_Time to break in._

Corpse returned to his bedroom, threw back his heavy curtains, blinded himself with the fading evening light, and unhooked the latch. Then he popped the screen out of it’s frame, and leaned outside. He knew there was a thin ledge, he’d heard pigeons cooing on it. But now he realized it was very thin, not even as wide as the flat of his hand. But from this angle he could see Sykkuno’s window open, providing air to his little bonsai tree.

And then Corpse was hoisting himself out onto that little ledge, using the flashing round the window as a handle for support. 

_This is a bad idea._

His heart pounded on each syllable. Corpse was on the verge of something- a break down or a panic attack. Something the most people would sense coming on and might go have a lie down.

Corpse did not do that. Rather he found himself already out the window. Toes precarious on the ledge. Then they were inching him along, and his fingers were following suit. He was three floors up, he knew, but he didn’t look down. Hell- he could barely see the flat plane of the building with the way his eyes made halos of the light His fingers were jammed into this narrow ridge and the frame creaked as he moved. Now would be a really bad time for him to lose feeling in any of his extremities.

Then the arch of his foot came down on the lip of Sykkuno’s sill. And Corpse shoulders ached with tension and terror as he eased his torso down so he could tug up on the window pane lifting it to make the opening wide enough to fit through. 

So Corpse could gracelessly collapse into Sykkuno’s deserted living room. 

His chest burned with how hard his breath came. “Sy?”

It was intensely still, deathly still. And Corpse forced his feet to move, to explore. He found Sykkuno’s phone in his bed. The covers were ruffled, not like someone had left the bed, like they had simply ceased to be in it.

And all at once everything caught up with Corpse at once. Pain- in his fingers, his toes, his lungs, his head, and his heart. 

“No,” His voice was nothing. “Sykkuno?!” 

Corpse spun around. He got to the living room and there was that goddamn tree sitting pretty in the sill. Next to the window he’d left open. Corpse stormed over to it and it’s little artfully arranged branches. 

“Where is he?” Corpse said, his tone deadly serious.

He paused, a beat. Then he rolled his head all the way back, and looked up at the popcorn ceiling, awestruck by how insane his life had become. His fist clenched and unclenched. He wanted to throw the goddamn tree out the window.

And what about this? What if someone had told him, two weeks ago, that he’d be standing in Sykkuno’s empty apartment, experiencing borderline homicidal rage towards a houseplant? What would he have thought then?

He’d have thought himself crazy, because houseplants couldn’t elicit such strong feelings. Hell- they didn’t do anything! And that was the worst of it. The worst part was that Corpse knew this rage was ridiculous. It was ridiculous because he was too late.

Sykkuno was gone.

And just as his body was about to be crushed by the weight of it, Corpse found his feet carrying him into Sykkuno’s kitchen. He pulled open a cupboard and took a little plastic shaker full of orange speckled spice. He unscrewed the lid and began drawing a circle, just like the one on his bedroom floor, right on Sykkuno’s counter. 

_Sorry Sykkuno._

The little white rabbit appeared inside as soon as he’d closed the loop. 

“Dazai,” Corpse exhaled the name, and it brought such intense relief that Corpse had to grip tight the counter just to stay standing.

“They have gone.”

“I- I noticed that.” Corpse replied. His legs really did feel like they might give out. “He took Sykkuno? Why?”

“The transition seems to have been hastened by your blood rather than slowed.”

“Fuck. Why?”

“It is unclear.” Dazai replied.

“You don’t know?”

“I don’t know.”

“Great.” Corpse replied, and his anger flared. He bit the edge of his tongue in an attempt to prevent the sharp words poised at the tip from escaping. “So what now? Crash his wedding?”

“I suppose it is our only option…” Dazai replied. His pink nose twitched and he hesitated. “Just to affirm, you do understand how dangerous-”

“I don’t care.” Corpse interrupted.

“Yes, it does appear that you do not hold your personal safety in terribly high regard.” Corpse chuckled as he and Dazai each deliberately avoided looking at the still open window. 

“I’ll do anything.”

And Corpse wondered if Dazai, or any of his kind, could understand such a sentiment. How Sykkuno felt about him, didn’t matter. The pain that weighted his limbs, and the scars on his arms that marked his self-doubt, they didn’t matter either. Corpse’s chest tightened and nothing really mattered, except Sykkuno. Sykkkuno safe, and happy. With or without Corpse. And he realized he really would give anything for it.

Even his face.


	13. Chapter 13

Hiroki’s home in the spirit world was tranquil, as it was the eye of the storm. A palace poised to look out on the fervor of commerce all around it. It must have been the at the center of a city, or at the very least an extremely lively market. Shop stalls branched out with colorful tents, and colorful wares. Like one of those puzzles you could stare at for hours and still find new things.

_Pipes carved like arms holding apples and peaches,  
Three carts lined with jars of black jellies and leeches,  
Thirteen masked ladies, a snake with a hat  
Two bickering kappa, and a six legged cat_

The cat hopped up onto a cart selling cabbage and turnips, and turned its face up to stare at Sykkuno, forcing him to turn away. Looking out the window was both enthralling and unsettling. He had to be at least six or eight stories above the hubbub, and somehow the whole place was insulated against the noise. The sill jabbed into Sykkuno’s ribs where he leant. He was like Rapunzel, if Rapunzel had been taken to some other story entirely. Looking out the window didn’t make him feel any less out of place. But it was better than lending his full attention to the crushing weight of all that he’d lost. 

Plus, his attendant might strike him if his tears ruined his make-up again. Sykkuno shifted and the layers and layers of silks shifted with him. He couldn’t tell whether his outfit was that of a man’s or a woman’s. All he knew was that it restricted his movement, made it hard to breathe in certain positions due to the tightening at the waist. 

The attendant clicked her tongue at him, meaning he’d done something wrong. Sykkuno looked down at his clothes, trying to determine what had drawn her ire. She didn’t stand, rather she kept her four hooved feet folded politely beneath her and with her hand she gestured to Sykkuno’s forearm- indicating he should straighten his sleeve. 

She too, made Sykkuno feel like a child. Like a child she’d permitted to dress like an adult. She had the upper body of a woman, the lower body of a deer, and the glower of a headmistress. But her most distinctive features were the bony growths branching from the top of her skull, then sprouting up through the plaits in her hair, all the way down her neck to the top of her spine. 

Sykkuno adjusted his sleeve and returned his focus to the street below the window. She was quite beautiful, and her... chest was bare, meaning Sykkuno could scarcely look at her without blushing. There were snaking reddish markings, up her sides and over her breasts, but they did little to cover the parts that women usually covered.

She sat in a corner, straight-backed, as Sykkuno should have been sitting. And she played a strange sort of string instrument when she wasn’t scolding him, the sound raised the hairs on his neck, and sometimes reminded him of the discord notification sound. And it hurt his ears.

She was meant to be teaching Sykkuno manners- so he wouldn’t embarrass his husband-to-be at their ceremony. But they were taking a break, as she’d grown tired of reapplying the dusts and tints to his face when Sykkuno’s tears ruined them.

And Sykkuno had grown tired of crying.

“How are the lessons coming along?” It was Hiroki. His footsteps hardly made a sound on the tatami. Sykkuno suppressed the visceral bodily response roused by that voice. 

“We are… taking a break.” His attendant replied, somewhat tartly. 

“Is she causing you any trouble?” Sykkuno turned intending to shake his head in response, then realized that Hiroki hadn’t been speaking to him. 

There was also that. He was a woman here, for some reason. He asked the attendant- she didn’t answer him. He asked to see his reflection. She ignored the request. He was out of place, and treated as if he were less than a person even. He was treated like an animal, or a pet being groomed and trained.

Sykkuno’s throat closed. But he refused to cry while Hiroki was present. So he bit down on his tongue.

“She is very beautiful.” Hiroki went on to the attendant. “You’ve done well.” 

“Thank you.” She replied.

Sykkuno wasn’t looking at Hiroki but kept him in the corner of his eye. His skin prickled with nervousness as Hiroki approached.

“How are you settling in to our home?” Hiroki said, finally addressing him directly. He’d come to a stop a couple feet away, as if he knew Sykkuno might spook if he drifted even and inch closer.

Sykkuno felt all manner of angry, hateful things on his tongue but he was still afraid to voice them. Hiroki could still marry him with a broken wrist, he could still slip back into Sukkuno’s apartment, through a gate like the one they’d travelled through, kill and eat his hot neighbor in a moment. 

“Your home is lovely.” Sykkuno said, his tone as formal and unaffected as he could make it. 

Hiroki’s next words came with a slight bow at the waist. “I’ve come to ask if you would share my bed tonight?”

Sykkuno shivered. He prayed that it was an actual question, one where his answer mattered, even if it went against Hiroki’s preference. “No, thank you.”

“On my honor, nothing marital would occur.”

Sykkuno’s mouth folded into a flat line and he shook his head, affirming that he had absolutely no desire to share a bed with the man. 

“Suit yourself.” Hiroki replied, and Sykkuno sighed with both surprise and relief that he’d actually been given a choice in this matter. “I thought it might make things more comfortable for our formal consummation.”

“Our…” Sykkuno had heard that word before in a history class, it had something to do with royalty- but what did it mean? 

“The bedding ceremony.” The attendant clarified. “You’ve nothing to worry about- I will assist you in undressing.”

“And all of our guests will bear witness.” Hiroki added. 

Sykkuno felt as though all the air had been knocked from his lungs. Bedding. Consummation. He was supposed to have sex, for the first time in a room full of strangers…

_No._

Sykkuno felt fresh tears slip free. He lifted his sleeve to wipe them away but a sharp hiss stopped him mid way. The music stopped and his attendant was on her feet. Her hooves were surprisingly quiet on the mat as she came to kneel at his side. Sykkuno tried to shy away from her, but she carried with her a kerchief of some sort for dabbing at the wetness.

“Terribly sorry sir,” she whispered as she passed Hiroki. She clicked her tongue and batted Sykkuno’s hands from his face. “Stop it.” she scolded.

Sykkuno sniffed, and more tears came at the anger in her sharp tone. “I can’t.”

Hiroki turned away, the corners of his mouth twitching down in a frown of mild annoyance as he did. “You will not do this tomorrow.” he ordered, and another tear leaked out, this one of frustration. 

“It might be easier to do that,” Sykkuno said, voice starting low, and gaining strength as the emotion behind it built. “If you weren’t making me so miserable.”

Sykkuno felt a yank on his hair, hard enough that his eyes watered. The attendant had wrenched his head back, forcing his eyes up to Hiroki. “Apologize.” she hissed. She was terrifyingly strong. Sykkuno couldn’t move his head.

Hiroki’s empty white eyes fell on Sykkuno and set his heart to an erratic pace. But he didn’t apologize. 

“Careful not to bruise the buds.” Hiroki said, and the attendant released his hair. “I’m hoping they’ll bloom by tomorrow.”

\--

The futon was too hard for Sykkuno to sleep on. He tossed and turned and nothing ever seemed to feel comfortable. It was terribly dark, and terribly silent. The night was even heavier here than it was back home. Like the deep dark quiet of the forest, and just as unsettling to be alone in.

Sykkuno shivered, he was exhausted and yet he couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes a thousand anxieties came to life like mites nesting inside his head. And the only salve Sykkuno had for it, were thoughts that were nearly as painful as those he was attempting to soothe.

He imagined he was back in his bed, when Corpse’s message came in. The one where he… Sykkunos body burned exquisitely. It relived the fluttering firework feeling at the words.

_I like you._

There was more. Corpse wanted to kiss him. 

_Again._

Sykkuno pushed his face into his pillow. His cheeks were heating, just like everywhere else. 

Then his stomach squirmed with guilt. Corpse wanted to kiss him again, in spite of what had happened with Hiroki. Sykkuno grimaced alone in the dark. And he cast thoughts of Hiroki away. This was a fantasy, it wasn't meant to make him feel horrid. It was meant to make it possible for him to sleep.

_You'll never see him again._

_Shut up!_

Sykkuno scrunched his eyes shut and imagined Corpse was next to him. Just like that first night. In his head, rather than shyly stealing glances at the handsome peaceful face, Sykkuno was met with a smirk. Dark eyes and one arm draped lazily over Sykkuno's waist. A hand on his back, dragging him into the shadowy form. Until their bodies were tight together, aligned so that Sykkuno could feel the heat and the ridges of him. 

And he was hard, but his lips didn't taste of pine, or forest, or blood. His mouth tasted like coffee and it made his head tingle. Like it was being warmed from the inside out. Like the early stirrings of caffeine gently encouraging energy out to his fingertips. And then Sykkuno felt his tongue, and he felt wanted. 

And he couldn't breathe but it didn't matter because Corpse wanted him, and Sykkuno was burning white hot where he felt it on his hip. And Corpse could surely feel him too. Corpse pressed with his hips at the same time he pressed with his tongue and it broke Sykkunos brain.

Voices, quiet- and then growing louder. And the taste turned bitter and sap-like on his tongue. And everywhere was rigid, like the boards of a coffin and holding him down, trapping him. 

Trapped, limbs braced, unable to move. Sykkuno was naked beneath the duvet. He was naked and there was someone on top of him. It wasn’t the lid of a coffin, it was a man. Sykkuno beat his fists against it but there was only dull thunks. He couldn't open his eyes. Everything was dark. But he knew- he knew it was Hiroki, and he couldn't speak. And there were people, people with voices that were watching. And they knew what was about to happen.

And Hiroki was hard, Sykkuno could feel it on the inside of his thigh and he was going to… 

"No!”

Sykkuno woke, panting. 

Unfamiliar room, unfamiliar bed. Pitch blackness, suffocating silence. And Sykkuno felt no relief for reality was nearly as horrible as the nightmare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for my weird little eye-spy couplet. Hahaha. Just trying something out. Hopefully it didn't bother anyone. Lol.
> 
> Thanks again for the comments. It's really cool as an author to get to experience the story through eyes of folks who don’t know what’s going to happen. :) It really makes the energy I poured into this worth it!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get out your fancy clothes, Sykkuno's getting married!

The sun rose a hazy pink on the day of Sykkuno’s wedding. He knew this because he was awake for the sunrise, and the quiet hours before it. After waking from his nightmare, he’d taken up his vigil at the window again. And as the sun came up, it’s light peacefully roused this strange foreign land. And the gold and the pink wrought Sykkuno with tired dread. 

It should have rained, should have been misty, or stormy or horrid. It was like this world was conspiring against him, like it too was trying to convince him that he should be pleased with this. Embrace the role of the blushing bride. Revel in his imprisonment. Serve his new husband.

Sykkuno would rather die. 

But he didn’t even know if he could do that in this strange body.

His attendant appeared once the pink had faded from purple into the earliest stirrings of blue and Sykkuno’s exhaustion had beaten back his frustration leaving only emptiness in its wake. 

He learned her name, the attendant with the mane of dark hair and bone. It was Kurangi. Sykkuno hadn’t asked and she’d never offered it. But while she was scolding a tamarin for trying to bring Sykkuno breakfast, the white-tufted servant had let it slip, in his frantic apology. 

‘The bride is not to eat until wed.’ she’d said. But Sykkuno hadn’t really experienced hunger since he’d arrived in the spirit world, so he didn’t begrudge Kurangi for that.

No, denying his breakfast was the least of her offenses. After scolding the new-world monkey, Kurangi had taken Sykkuno to the baths, where the torment began. It started with her unceremoniously undressing him, and dunking him in a sunken pool barely warm enough to be called a bath. 

“Why isn’t it hot?” He asked, hoping that maybe- somehow there had been a mistake. 

“Hot water could wilt your fresh blooms.” Kurangi replied, before scrubbing his driftwood skin raw with a sponge so abrasive it might as well have been sandpaper. Sykkuno’s embarrassment disappeared as his discomfort at being naked in front of a stranger was replaced with hatred for the meticulous care she took in preparing him for his end.

“May I see what I look like,” Sykkuno asked, with tears pricking the corners of his eyes. Kurangi tore a fresh strip of wax and the hair from his calf. “Once you’ve finished?” 

“The bride is not to see herself until she is wed.” 

_Why?_

Sykkuno didn’t bother voicing it. If she answered him. It was sure to be stupid or arbitrary, and would probably just piss him off further. Her strips drifted further up his legs and Sykkuno mentally checked out of the entire affair. If he’d stayed he was pretty sure he’d end up kicking her in the face.

After bathing and grooming, he was taken back to his room in a silken dressing gown, like an oversized snakeskin, it clung in some places and hung too loose in others. It was uncomfortable, and Sykkuno felt slithery inside it. Or perhaps it wasn’t the robe but his skin that felt wrong. Either way every piece of this process seemed designed to increase his discomfort. Or perhaps it was just his anxiety that was doing that.

Kurangi pushed him down at a dressing table with no mirror. Then she picked up a comb, and began to run it through his short hair. He wasn’t sure how she managed it, without damaging the flowers and leaves but he could feel the teeth pricking his scalp on each stroke, until somehow his hair was dry. And then she was weaving delicate wiry sprigs of silver into the foliage. 

After that was done, she laid out powders and creams and tints, and started on his face. Sykkuno stared at the wall for hours, while Kurangi prodded and powdered him. She lectured and quizzed him on etiquette while she worked, forcing Sykkuno to pay attention, which made it feel as though it took even longer. 

“And when the high priest enters you must?”

“Bow my head.” Sykkuno replied.

“And should you address him, which you should not need to, you will use ‘your honor’. Understood?”

_Like a judge._

She jabbed him in the scalp with the tail end of a brush. “Understood.” Sykkuno replied. 

And after another hour, she moved on to dressing him. Dressing took less time. Sykkuno only had to stand while Kurangi worked. He was well past feeling shy in front of Kurangi, even when she was clipping the weird belt thing to his tall sheer stockings. Only half-paying attention he almost asked why his underclothes needed to be pretty- before remembering that there was something even more horrifying happening after the ceremony.

Sykkuno’s skin was warm, but still he shivered.

And then all at once, it was complete- Sykkuno was draped in white, with prickly decorations in his hair, and something tight restricting his waist. Kurangi called in the little tamarin to bring the carriage around.

And Sykkuno was loaded into it- like a doll being set in his box. 

Dressed, painted, manufactured.  
Hollow, trapped and alone.

\--

Somehow, the carriage deposited him at the front step of a palace- or maybe it was a hotel. The architecture was Japanese, and Sykkuno was not. A staircase rose before him, with a pair of massive red doors, open wide at the top. In the center of the circle they would have made together, stood Sykkuno’s soon to be husband, Hiroki.

“My bride.” He smiled and opened his arms in greeting. 

Sykkuno wanted neither to be a bride, nor to be his. 

And in that moment, Sykkuno realized that he hadn’t heard his own name since… since it had fallen from Corpse’s lips, on the night they kissed. His heart trembled- and he wished he could tell Hiroki that it wasn’t for him. He didn’t, of course, because, at least to Sykkuno, speaking to unhearing, uncaring ears was somehow worse than saying nothing at all.

Kurangi exited after him. She’d forced his feet into shoes that pinched, and lifted his heels higher than he was comfortable with, so his first steps were a little bit louder than he intended them to be on the stone pavers. Kurangi kept a keen eye on his movement, prepared to swoop in should he stumble, or otherwise come close to harming her precious white dressing.

Her movements were graceful compared with Sykkuno’s, though her hooves actually touched the ground- which probably helped. She was also accustomed to being treated like a female- Sykkuno was not. She took Sykkuno’s arm like they were old friends rather than mortal enemies, and led him up the wide flat steps to where Hiroki waited. With each click of his heel, a second ticked away, the countdown had started. 

He reached Hiroki and Sykkuno almost wished that Kurangi wouldn’t let go of him.

Hiroki’s hand was cool, and dry. His scent was even stronger, a patch of Juniper berries was woven into his hair, and his formal dress looked far more comfortable than Sykkuno’s. “Many of our guests have already arrived,” he explained. “And don’t worry too much about how to correctly address them, if you stay by my side, the only words you’ll need will be those of gratitude.”

_Thanks._

Hiroki didn't pause, or wait for a nod of affirmation. He simply went on, as if Sykkuno were listening closely, rather than resisting a grimace. “We will be greeting the high priest at the dias first. Some guests will be masked. Do not ask for their names unless they are offered.” Hiroki stopped and turned to face Sykkuno at the second set of doors. “Your attendant will not be able to speak for you, but if you are unsure of the correct etiquette say nothing at all. Most will not address you anyways.” 

Sykkuno rolled his eyes internally at Hiroki’s extensive instructions on how not to embarrass him. As if Sykkuno cared at all whether he made a good impression on these people. 

“It is our wedding day and I have no desire to make threats to ensure your compliance.” Hiroki continued genially, then he leaned in close to Sykkuno’s ear, forcing his thick pine scent into Sykkuno’s face. “So please hold in your mind how my demeanor can shift when you test my patience.”

And Sykkuno shivered with something icy and invidious.

Hiroki pulled back and looked him up and down. “It is bad luck for the bride to see her reflection on her wedding day.” Hiroki said, more to himself than Sykkuno. “But even if you were to catch a glimpse, I doubt you would even know it was you.”

Sykkuno swallowed, and the doors swung open for them. 

\--

Hiroki introduced him first to the high priest. A Yokai which reminded Sykkuno of a bull. He couldn’t tell if the man was mixed with one, or if he just had an extraordinarily square jaw. His forehead protruded, like a long cow’s skull was trying to break free, and the sunken wide-set sockets held beady little eyes dwarfed by pronounced brow ridges.

Oh and he had horns.

“A beauty, Hiroki.” he said, as if Sykkuno were a nice watch he’d picked up at a department store.

“We wanted to extend our thanks once more to you and your noble house.” Hiroki said, and Sykkuno nodded along.

Hiroki touched his waist, prompting Sykkuno to offer a soft “thank you.”

The beady eyes shifted to their left. “My daughter! You came!” 

The high priest opened an arm to a woman. She looked nothing like her father. She had long-sleek black hair, and the mask of a snarling wolf’s open maw covering the lower half of her face. 

“Yuko, my bride.” Hiroki introduced Sykkuno to her curtly. She nodded, her lashes fell, shielding her green eyes for a moment. She and Hiroki knew one another.

When she looked up again, she met Sykkuno head on. Hiroki’s grip tightened on his waist, and Sykkuno averted his gaze, afraid of offending her, or Hiroki, or both. Whatever their relationship was, it certainly didn't strike him as friendly. 

“Be well, both of you.” Hiroki said, and they took their leave of the high priest and his daughter. Sykkuno felt Yuko’s eyes follow him, as he departed. 

Then Sykkuno was dragged around like a showpiece. He really could have been a nice new watch and the guests comments would have been exactly the same. Sykkuno distracted himself from the near heart-shattering dread, by taking this time to observe the variety of spirits in attendance. 

If he let his mind hold thoughts of his fate for too long, it put Kurangi’s hand painted design around his eyes at risk. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew that it snaked up to his temples. And, if he remembered the brushstrokes correctly, branched over the high points of his cheeks. And it likely wasn't salt water proof. So he made a bingo card in his mind with the guests. There was a totally normal looking man with a fox mask, a woman with a neck so long it would have touched the ceiling if she didn’t have it looped round to rest on her shoulders, and a menagerie of hybrids, some dressed, others bare like Kurangi. 

Sykkuno really should have been formulating some kind of escape plan, should have screamed and cried until Hiroki was forced to kill him to get him to shut up. But the thing that held Sykkuno’s tongue, the thing that had him bending to Hiroki’s will like the wired branch of a bonsai, was his uncertainty.

He didn’t know whether Hiroki would carry out his threats, didn’t know if it would hurt to be killed by Hiroki, or some other Yokai who might take offense at his improper manners. Or rather he didn’t know how badly it would hurt. Which was his true fear, Sykkuno thought he might be able to stand dying if he didn’t know it was coming, but he couldn’t stand the thought of suffering on the way there.

But even suffering started to tempt him as the ceremony drew nearer.

Hiroki laughed loudly at something said by a fat catfish, dressed up in some sort of pleated formal attire. The catfish carried a bottle, he thought he’d heard someone say it was sake, but Sykkuno had stopped paying attention to their conversation long ago. He was rowdy, this walking fish, and his whiskers wriggled as he laughed. Then he was clapping a fin to Hiroki’s back, and pushing him towards a couple more portly creatures. Leaving Sykkuno behind, forgotten like the trinket that he was. 

And as if waiting for him to be left alone, he found a familiar face, or rather a familiar open jaw with white carved teeth and vibrant green eyes. She caught his eye, and backed around behind a pillar. And Sykkuno was struck by the urge to follow her. 

She led him away from Hiroki but Kurangi still held him in her sights. He followed round another pillar, then Sykkuno found that she was lost as to the crowd as well. 

Or perhaps it was Sykkuno who was lost. 

The sea of bodies slowed in it’s shifting. It slowed and Sykkuno was paralyzed among the chaos. A figure, drink held in black painted nails. Sykkuno’s heart stopped. It didn’t know whether to be elated or horrified. He didn’t know what to feel. 

_How?_

Sykkuno stared openly, at the dark hair, the pale skin of his bare uncovered face. It couldn’t be. 

And if it was…

It didn’t matter. Sykkuno had to know. Had to know if it was a mirage, or a trick of the light, showing him something impossible just to shatter him later. And as his feet moved, quieter now that he had gotten used to the shoes, Sykkuno’s frightened mind began to push the more likely answer.

That this was not salvation. That this was horror, this was another inside the skin of his salvation.

Sykkuno’s breathing picked up, and the man finally turned to face him, as if he could smell the panic rolling off Sykkuno in a scent more vibrant than that of the soaps and oils Kurangi had drenched him in.

His hair fell in artful twists around his eyes, shielding them in shadows, so they were ever so dark. Sykkuno felt tears, he needed to settle his pounding heart. Hiroki would hear it, Kurangi would hit him if he cried. 

“You-” Sykkuno breathed.

And it didn’t look at him like Corpse did.

Corpse was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small note: I'm going to try not to confirm or deny any predictions from here on out, as I’m really excited for the upcoming climax and I want it to be a surprise. But anyone who wants to comment afterwards with a big ole 'called it!' will be recognized for their cleverness.
> 
> Very excited to hear thoughts on this chapter though! How are we feeling about Yuko? Do we trust her?


	15. Chapter 15

Sykkuno was crushed, his whole chest crumpled in, and tears were already streaking down his face without him even having uttered a sound.

“Hush,” Sykkuno felt it’s hands on the back of his head, angling his face down, away from prying eyes. “This face is merely borrowed. It's owner is here, and will be wanting it back once he's finished with mine.”

“Corpse is here?” 

Sykkuno was breathless, suddenly he wanted to look into those lifeless mask-like eyes. It raised a single finger to Corpse’s lips, quieting him again. He was speaking too familiarly- Sykkuno belatedly realized. 

It leaned in, as if there was too much noise in the hall for Sykkuno to hear, but then lowered his voice. “Did you know, it would bring a great deal of shame to your future husband if his bride were to abscond for another?” The voice was all wrong, and Sykkuno looked at it- his chest to avoid watching the lips deliver lines that weren’t quite right. “So shameful in fact- that he might call off the entire affair.”

“He's here to take me away?” Sykkuno asked. He thought his voice was low enough, but it evidently wasn’t given the way the creature gripped tight his arm, using Corpse’s hand. 

“Lower your voice.” it advised. “It is a crime for a mortal to attend without an invitation.” Sykkuno looked up at him, Corpse, handsome in a way that wasn’t quite right, and he went on. 

“There is an imposter among us, find him and escape.”

Sykkuno’s heart was beating harder than he thought it had ever beat in his life. There was hope, Corpse was here. “Who are you?” He asked. Another improper question.

“A friend.” It murmured, and let go of his arm.

“Wait,” Sykkuno said, grabbing the man’s robe. “How will I recognize Corpse? And how will he recognize me? I'm not even sure what I look like right now.”

Sykkuno dropped his hand like the fabric burnt. He felt Hiroki’s energy, approaching much faster than a person could possibly move. 

“You.” Hiroki said, coming to a halt just behind Sykkuno’s left shoulder. Sykkuno’s body sparked with sudden terror. He was going to kill the stranger. But when he turned back to the man dressed as Corpse, Sykkuno found someone else entirely.

“Your kind do not normally attend events such as these.” Hiroki said in a tone that seemed to heavily imply that the stranger should not have been there. Sykkuno wondered what sort of Yokai he was.

“We do not.” It agreed. “The daughter of the high priest extended an invitation to me. I hope that my presence has not unsettled any of your guests.”

“And I hope that _my bride_ has not troubled you.” The way Hiroki said it, Sykkuno felt like he was clarifying something to the creature that once looked like Corpse. “She is still unfamiliar with our customs.”

“No.” It said. “I simply wished to offer my congratulations.” 

“And did she thank you?” Hiroki asked.

“Of course.” The man who was not Corpse smiled and turned away seamlessly melding into the crowd.

“Do not fear, my love, no one will eat you tonight.” Hiroki said and Sykkuno realized that he’d mistaken the pounding of his heart for fear. It suited Sykkuno just fine, but he was curious why Hiroki had reacted so strongly. Was he really at risk of being eaten by that Yokai?

“Do not leave my side.” Hiroki went on. “We do not associate with his type. Rot-eaters. Disgusting. He could probably smell your lingering mortality. What will the master of ceremonies think if you are seen prostrating yourself before one as lowly as him?”

“I- I didn't.” Sykkuno murmured, as Hiroki worked himself to anger.

Hiroki snapped his fingers. “And what has happened to your face?” Kurangi appeared and she too clicked her tongue with annoyance. Her hand came out to angle Sykkuno’s chin up, so she could assess the damage. “If you embarrass me any further there will be consequences.”

“Trouble in bliss?” The high priest's voice preceded his wobbling belly. Hiroki laughed heartily as if the bull had made a joke, rather than an observation. “I really ought to save my wedding gift until after the ceremony…” He mused, and a servant appeared at his side as if magically summoned. In it’s reptilian fingers it clutched a box, whose lid popped open to reveal a band of black fabric. “But I think,” the deep voice proclaimed. “It would look most lovely, a compliment to the grain of her skin.” 

Sykkuno stared at the gift, too afraid to speak and provoke Hiroki further. The gift was too wide to be a bracelet. What was it? 

The high priest took the limp band, and leaned in closer than Sykkuno was entirely comfortable with. His hands came over his shoulders and before Sykkuno could even think the clasp had closed round his neck as if magnetically drawn to the smooth plane of his throat. Sykkunos fingers came up to touch where it laid.

"Wh-” Sykkuno started but no sound came. He tried to speak again- it was total silence. And just like that they took the last thing Sykkuno had left, his voice.

_No._

Just as quick as it came his hope was crushed all over. How was he supposed to find Corpse like this? A face that wasn't his, no voice with which to speak.

Sykkuno silently despaired as Hiroki profusely thanked the high priest. Then Hiroki took hold of Sykkuno’s forearm, wrinkling the fabric of his dressing, held a finger to Kurangi, and dragged him back behind a pillar.

“Once Kurangi has fixed your face, you come back to my side, and you do not leave for any reason.” Hiroki ordered. The interaction with the high priest seemed to have infuriated him even further. His grip tightened on Sykkuno’s arm. “Your eyes will stay on me. Your hands will touch none but mine. You are mine. Understood?” 

Sykkuno’s chest blackened with hatred and he nodded his head. 

Then Hiroki allowed Kurangi to spirit him away. Sykkuno let one last tear slip as he walked with Kurangi to a private ante chamber, he might as well cry while he still could cry. 

But as she pulled Sykkuno along he was thinking about Corpse and escape. The only way Corpse could identify him was if he was by Hiroki’s side, but Sykkuno certainly wouldn’t be escaping if he was at Hiroki’s side. Perhaps Corpse had already seen him. Perhaps they’d already met, somehow. Or maybe this friend who’d leant him his face would describe Sykkuno to him. Meaning Sykkuno’s best bet- rather than searching for Corpse, was to go somewhere that Corpse could find him, find him- and then take him. 

And as he passed through the curtains to the little dressing room, Sykkuno caught a glimpse of the very thing that he needed.

Set in the floor.

\--

Upon entering the hall, Corpse was assaulted by the noise. 

The bustle and the chaos froze him at first. The bodies, all packed together, smiling politely, laughing and drinking, made Corpse’s whole being stiffen with fear. Dazai roused him with a drink, which he took from a tray and set in Corpse’s hand. 

Corpse was then forced to look into his own eyes, at his own face. And it wasn’t any less unsettling than when Dazai had first changed into it. There was something just a little off about Dazai’s expressions, they were more placid than what Corpse was used to, and the features looked just slightly off, like they were flipped the wrong way round.

The strangeness was an island. Then Dazai’s date, the one who’d snuck them in through the kitchens left, disappearing into the sea. And Corpse was seized once more by how massive the crowd was. He brought a hand up, to try and touch the mask he knew was on his face. Frustratingly, his fingers dipped right through it, and the gesture brought him no comfort. 

Corpse wasn’t spirit enough to lift it off, even if he’d wanted to.

The mask itself didn't burn, it didn't itch, or hurt, but Corpse knew it was rotting the flesh where it touched. Dazai warned him. He was warned that wearing this face, this mask of a half dead rabbit. With it's lipless gums baring sharp pointed teeth, it's one white eye surrounded by dessicated purpling flesh, and the ear, pushing back his dark curls, would decay all that it touched. And the rest, his one mortal eye, the only hint that it was him underneath was the only thing that would be left unmarred when all this was over.

In spite of its toxicity, Corpse was glad for it. As this event, this gathering of people with its strict social pressures, was his own personal hell. One that he couldn’t have managed without a mask. 

Dazai had instructed him to speak as little as possible, if he did speak he risked being thrown out for either offending someone, or simply for being a god of decay. Which was apparently enough of a reason to be cast out. Dazai had given him more instructions in the time leading up to the ceremony, social graces, which Yokai to avoid if they had a drink in their hand, and which ones to avoid when they didn’t. Corpse couldn’t remember any of it. And Dazai was about to leave his side. He was going to try and find Sykkuno. 

Because Dazai had been invited, he could move more freely, be seen. By wearing Corpse’s face he wasn’t immediately recognizable for what he was. Corpse did not have that kind of freedom. Corpse was meant to be as innocuous as possible, meant to blend in to the background, make like he belonged.

Which was quite a task given Corpse had never belonged in a group of humans this large, let alone anything else.

And so with only a small earthenware cup to ground him, Corpse was abandoned. And the oddest part was watching his own body leave him behind. Dazai, as Corpse, bowed his head and greeted people effortlessly. It was like watching an alternate reality, where debilitating social anxiety and Corpse had never met. 

And then Dazai disappeared, leaving Corpse totally alone. 

Corpse’s heart pounded. He felt like a little kid, on his first day at a new school, or it was like his first discord call with people he didn’t know. And for a moment Corpse’s mind threw the stupidest thought at him:

Which was that he wished Sykkuno was there.

_Maybe you should go find him then, idiot._

The cup trembled in Corpse’s hands, and he caught a lingering sideward glance from a server. His position was compromised, he needed to move. So Corpse opted to wander the periphery, slowly and steadily, like he had a purpose. Which he did.

It was to find and steal the bride without the groom noticing. 

_Ez_

And just when Corpse thought he might be able to actually do this, he fucked it up by draining his cup. 

“There will be no empty cups tonight, my good sir!” Someone shouted at him, or rather something shouted. It looked like a fish with long worm-like whiskers hanging from it’s fat cheeks. It’s mouth was grotesque, huge and widening unnaturally when it spoke, and it held in it’s fin-ish hand a green bottle. 

Corpse panicked, did Dazai say anything about a situation like this. Catfish man offers you a drink, what do you do?

_Shrug him off?_  
Run away?  
Take it. 

Corpse stuck out his cup. 

“Atta boy! That’ll put hair on your chin.” It said as it splashed a bit of liquor onto Corpse’s hand. “Look at what it’s done to me!” The fish flapped his head back and forth so his whiskers wriggled fiercely. And Corpse didn’t mean to, but he laughed aloud. 

The creature's entourage also roared with laughter. Corpse smiled to himself, thinking that maybe, just maybe he’d survived the encounter. Until he realized that by accepting a drink from the catfish, you became part of the entourage. 

A portly otter took his left elbow and a owl-masked man took his right. Together they dragged him away from the wall. Corpse didn’t dig in his heels. He was afraid that should he refuse him, they might actually have a look at what he was. As it stood, most only had eyes for the catfish, his sake, and their own cups.

They dragged him on a couple more refills and the group drew more eyes, but the fish man was the real show-stealer. Dazai would surely kill him if he saw the company Corpse was keeping.

And then, it got worse. 

“Hiroki!” The catfish shouted, and Corpse saw his face for a split second before turning and fleeing into the crowd. His heart pounded with terror. Then in a beat he realized that if he’d stayed he might have caught a glimpse of Sykkuno.

Corpse glanced back over his shoulder, bringing his cup up to sip at the liquor, as he looked for… what exactly? The one leaf that stuck up in a weird spot at the top of his head? The alcohol burnt his throat, just like the regret, and Corpse scolded himself as he made his way back to the periphery. 

He spotted a half-deer woman, with breasts only covered by red paint, or possibly tattoos. He averted his gaze quickly, and hated himself even harder. 

Corpse got as far away as he possibly could from the sake-peddlers. He finished his drink, and deposited it on a passing tray. There- maybe now he could actually keep a low profile. He found a quiet spot adjacent to some carved oak arches, which he assumed led to bathrooms, or whatever facilities spirits required. 

Then hid out behind a pillar to catch his breath and calm his racing heart. He was running out of time. He was fucking around when Sykkuno needed him. The half-second glimpse of Hiroki hung in his mind driving a shard of hatred into his guts.

He had to find Sykkuno soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Corpse is here! Was anybody else missing him?
> 
> Sorry for the lengthy build-up I just wanted it set up just right. Next update is the one folks. I'm so excited.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty sure this is going to be 20 chapters. (Though it might end up being 21- I have an idea for a fun bonus chapter that is mostly smut).
> 
> Anyways- This is it! Let's go!

_It couldn’t be._

They were dressed in white. Way too pretty to be a guy. But the hair looked right, though it was full of pale flowers and pretty silver things. 

_Sykkuno’s waist couldn’t be that thin, though, could it?_

Their back was to him, but Corpse couldn’t look away. His feet moved, he came round the pillar, and was struck with a desire so potent it tugged his body to what might have been his death.

If he was wrong.

His head probably wanted it to be _him_ , here in front of Corpse. He didn’t mean to creep up on them, but his mouth was so dry he didn’t think he could even clear his throat. But he didn’t need to, they turned and the face startled him.

It affected him immediately but at the same time struck him as unfamiliar. The eyes were all black. They had no whites whatsoever, and the lashes had been lengthened. Creating a visage which was simultaneously demonic and adorable. Nearly everything else was painted white except for a design, snaking leafy vines in green curled up to the brow line, and caressing the high cheekbones. 

It was an intense sort of beauty, the kind that made you almost uncomfortable it was so otherworldly. And for a moment Corpse doubted himself.

How could he know? How could he say for sure? 

Dazai told him not to speak, but he needed to say something. It was impolite to ask for the name of someone above your station. He read in the book Dazai gave him, and surely whoever this person was, was above his station. If said the wrong thing, if he spoke to someone he shouldn’t speak to, and he was thrown out. Everything would be ruined. 

Corpse noticed the spirit bow their head. Corpse automatically followed suit. Which was when he saw it. 

Beneath their feet were bamboo slats, which carried air up from a lower floor.

A vent.

“Are you an imposter?” Corpse asked, already smiling, before even having heard an answer. His eyes came up to find a grin as wide as his.

A quick nod. 

“Me too.” Corpse whispered.

The chest under the white robes rose and fell rapidly. Whether with excitement or fear, Corpse couldn’t tell. Corpse glanced around, determining if they’d drawn anyone’s attention, then slipped back behind the pillar. Sykkuno followed silently, leaving a pair of shoes behind. 

“We’re sneaking out through the kitchen.” Corpse whispered hurriedly, still keeping an eye on the party to ensure they hadn’t been spotted. 

Sykkuno gestured to the black choker round his neck, he mouthed something Corpse couldn’t understand but he quickly gleaned the general sentiment. Sykkuno couldn’t speak. 

A booming voice called for guests to quiet down. Sykkuno’s face blanked with terror. Were they looking for him? Corpse grimaced, and he was glad his mask hid it from Sykkuno. Then he took Sykkuno’s hand and hurried across the room towards the kitchens. Their steps were noiseless, or as silent as they could make them, while the hubbub died down. Corpse hurried, heart pounding, and just as the room was going still and quiet he heard the catfish begin to heckle the speaker.

His entourage laughed, and so did the crowd. Allowing Corpse and Sykkuno to slip into the kitchens. Servers gave them odd looks as they brushed past, but luckily were forbidden from speaking directly with them. Corpse also hoped that Sykkuno’s elegance might buy them a little more credibility. 

Once they reached the outer corridor, they heard the kitchen staff begin to talk. Corpse broke into a run, and Sykkuno followed. He found the dry goods store room that Dazai had pointed out to him on their way in and dragged Sykkuno inside, carefully slamming the door behind him.

He clicked the lock, and turned on Sykkuno. Whose hands rested on the band around his waist, while he caught his breath. But even flushed and fearful Sykkuno looked amazing. The black eyes seemed to look up at him, and Corpse immediately read the look on his face.

‘Now what?’

“Ha-” Corpse tilted his chin back, to look up at the rafters. “Did Dazai talk to you?” 

Sykkuno nodded. 

“Did he explain anything?”

Sykkuno shook his head.

“Fuck.” Corpse muttered. Sykkuno smiled, and Corpse tried to find the words to explain the rest of Dazai’s totally insane plan. They didn’t come, not when Sykkuno was looking at him. “I almost didn’t recognize you. You look really… different.”

Sykkuno nodded. Then his hand came up. He untwisted one of the little silver sprigs from his hair, and threw it on the ground. Corpse chuckled. Then Sykkuno made a gesture over his face, as if lifting a mask.

Corpse shook his head and poked his own cheek. “I can’t touch it.” Sykkuno came closer, he put a hand out palm up, asking if he could touch it. “I mean yeah, you can try.”

Sykkuno touched the mask, then he was shifting it to the side, revealing Corpse’s face. His black eyes in the low light caught little specks of white from the crack in the door. And Corpse was close enough that he was caught as well. All he could smell was lilac, probably the flowers. He found it just as intoxicating as Sykkuno’s natural scent, so it must have been him. 

Corpse found himself leaning in, needing to be closer. He didn’t realize just how far, until his hand found Sykkuno’s arm, in an attempt to steady himself. 

“I’ve kind of been losing my mind worrying about you,” Corpse belatedly noticed he was speaking. “I’m really glad that… you’re okay.”

His heart was freaking out, slamming against his breastbone, and his eyes fell to Sykkuno’s lips. Sykkuno’s hand was still on his mask, holding him steady, then Corpse felt Sykkuno’s other hand over his heart

“You- uh- I’ve been thinking about you.” Fuck, were words still coming out of his mouth? Sykkuno was a breath away, their foreheads nearly touching. "I should have said this in person the first time but-”

Sykkuno finally cut him off, by closing the distance between their lips.

Corpse’s arm wound round whatever the thing was that made his waist so thin, and his other found a place behind Sykkuno’s ear. 

And he had to hold on, because Sykkuno’s kiss was vibrant, furious, and intense. It was frustrated words that he couldn’t get past his lips and a sentiment that filled Corpse’s head and chest all the way full. Corpse made a noise in his throat, because he was happy, or overwhelmed. And it only ignited Sykkuno. He responded with his tongue, and his breath, heated and eager and addictive. 

Sykkuno’s hand stayed on the mask. His other fisted Corpse’s shirt holding him tight and close, and kind of making Corpse crazy. His mouth tasted like electricity, his lips moved like kissing Corpse was all he’d ever wanted to say. And Corpse never wanted it to end.

But then Sykkuno stiffened in his arms. Corpse felt him freeze, felt his terror. He pulled back breathless, wrecked and Corpse instantly recognized the look in Sykkuno’s eyes.

Hiroki was coming.

“Sy, it’s uh-” Corpse’s voice was rough. He tried again. “This is the scary part.” 

Sykkuno angled his head, concerned, or listening. Corpse struggled to explain better. 

“We have to get caught.”

\--

Sykkuno’s body burned. The fear stirred up the ecstasy, carbonated it, made it feel like Sykkuno was going to explode at any moment. He could feel Hiroki looking for him. Hiroki knew he was vibrating with need. And according to Corpse, the best course of action, was to continue doing exactly what they were doing. 

Sykkuno couldn’t question it. Physically couldn’t convey his apprehension. So he ignored the horror's hold on his spine and did exactly what every cell of him was begging to do.

He went right back to kissing Corpse. His mouth was so hot it melted the frantic fearful thoughts. Something pushed him to go farther, maybe that was the fear. Sykkuno kissed him like he was running for his life. 

Then he took Corpse’s hand from his neck and forced it down to the neckline of his clothes. He pulled back and angled his chin up, expressing what he wanted the only way he could.

Corpse’s low lidded eyes fell to his exposed collarbone, and Corpse pushed the garment from his shoulder. Sykkuno shivered, where his hand passed over, then he felt Corpse’s mouth on his skin and Sykkuno was glad for the stupid choker, because it meant he didn’t have to worry about suppressing embarrassing sounds. 

There were only quiet tattered breaths, while Sykkuno writhed with flashes of brilliant heat. He felt Corpse’s tongue and his teeth and leaned into Corpse, trying to press as much of himself into the mortal body as he possibly could.

Because he wanted it and Sykkuno had not gotten what he wanted in quite some time.

Sykkuno’s jackrabbit heart told him that Hiroki was almost upon them. So he dragged Corpse back up, wanting Corpse’s tongue in his mouth when Hiroki came. He wanted Corpse inside him, all around him, he wanted Hiroki to know that Sykkuno would never be his. 

Just as their fervor was shattered, by the locking handle being torn from the door, Corpse pulled back, and carefully moved Sykkuno’s hand to settle the mask back in place.

\--

There was a gasp of surprise, but it wasn’t Hiroki’s. No, if Corpse had to describe Hiroki’s reaction, to finding Sykkuno disheveled and flushed in Corpse’s arms, he certainly wouldn’t have used the word ‘surprised’. 

A better word might be furious, enraged, rabid. It was the kind of anger that wasn’t even really anger at them, but at the whole world for daring to craft such a scene. It was all encompassing, most likely murderous, and it definitely should not have brought a smile to Corpse’s face.

But it did.

And so Corpse met those blank white eyes, and smirked beneath his mask, while his hands tightened around Sykkuno possessively.

“And what is this?” A booming voice interrupted. It might have saved Corpse’s life, or Hiroki’s. He couldn’t be sure which of them was going to get to the other’s neck first. But it certainly startled them out of their hate-fueled glaring match.

“Hiroki’s bride with another.” Corpse recognized the voice as belonging to Dazai’s date, Yuko. He really wasn’t sure why she was there but the stiffness in his joints loosened ever so slightly.

“Show yourself.” The high priest commanded, and Hiroki was forced out of the doorway, so Corpse and Sykkuno could step out into the hall. 

In the light, Corpse was pleasantly surprised by how indecent they’d managed to get in such a short period of time. Sykkuno’s hair was a mess, his robe was pulled down exposing his shoulder and the bright pink marks that lined his neck. He made no move to cover them, rather it looked like he wanted Hiroki to see them.

“You!” Corpse was slapped across the face by Yuko. Corpse brought a hand to his cheek, it hurt, but the shock of it was even more potent.

“This is the man you brought?” The high-priest repeated in surprise. “A wither?” He almost seemed more offended to find out that his daughter's wedding date was- whatever Dazai was, than he cared for Hiroki’s predicament.

A predicament that was still unfolding. Hiroki’s eyes were on Sykkuno’s neck, and his focus was so intent that he didn’t even seem to hear the high-priests comments. And Sykkuno was watching him as well, wary, anxious and angry. Corpse felt it all where their hands were connected. Or maybe those feelings were his own.

“Execution.” Hiroki stated, voice icy. 

Sykkuno’s hand tightened in Corpse’s, and Corpse could provide no comfort. He’d hoped that Dazai would be here for this, somehow. Or that he’d have somehow figured out what to do by this point. But he had nothing.

Nothing except Sykkuno’s hand in his, so he gave it one quick squeeze. It wasn’t quite a promise to get them out of this, it was a promise to stay there with him.

No matter what happened.

“Come now Hiroki, impropriety is not a death sentence.” The high-priest argued, and Corpse felt Sykkuno soften with relief ever so slightly. “Though I presume the wedding is off.” 

“Most certainly.” Hiroki replied, with disgust. The high priest's beady eyes fell on Hiroki with something like sympathy, but closer to pity. Then the bull’s huge arm came down on Hiroki’s shoulder as well. “This surely is a most trying situation. You were taken in by a mortal seductress… by no fault of your own. We all know their kind are desirous, they have no control once an impulse takes hold.”

Corpse might have taken offense to what the high priest said about Sykkuno, if it wasn’t making Hiroki so miserable. He sensed Sykkuno enjoying it too, though his face remained neutral. He didn’t look away from Hiroki, whose shoulders were bent beneath the weight of the high priests arm, and whose well-intentioned words seemed to only infuriate Hiroki further.

“Let me take care of this privately, your honor.” Hiroki said, his voice and demeanor severe. “There must be consequences for such ungrateful- such insolence.”

“You must have satisfaction, of course” The high-priest reassured, further annoying Hiroki. “but our guests too must be considered. They’ve been promised a wedding, a banquet, festivities.”

“Then marry those two.” Yuko said, shocking all who were gathering in the hallway. The bull-man furrowed his huge brows. “Wedlock is the natural enemy of wanton lust, is it not?” she reasoned. “And there is a lesson, impulsive actions have lasting consequences.” 

Corpse stole a glance at Sykkuno, but his expression was unreadable, or deliberately controlled. This wasn’t part of the plan. Or it hadn’t ever been raised as a possibility to Corpse. Perhaps Yuko was improvising, perhaps she simply thought it an entertaining notion. Corpse had no idea. He couldn’t read how Sykkuno felt about it, and Sykkuno couldn’t see what Corpse was thinking. 

But through their connected hands, Corpse wondered if Sykkuno could feel how his heart double beat. 

“A fine idea!” A smile spread across the high-priests face. “Yes, yes! And you see now, daughter? This is why we do not extend invitations to his kind.” The priest seemed quite pleased that his daughter had come round to the idea of disliking whatever sort of Yokai Dazai was. 

He then let out a hearty chuckle, Hiroki did not join in. “Come now, Hiroki, let’s get you a drink. Mr. Whiskers!”

There was a second of silence. Then the Catfish burst through the doors at the end of the hall, as if he’d been waiting for this very moment. 

“A drink!” He bellowed, huge mouth flapping with exertion, as he sprinted down the hall. He held above his huge head, a bottle of liquor and a cup. Corpse struggled not to laugh at Mr. Whiskers eagerness and he caught Sykkuno’s hand coming up to his mouth, to cover a smile. 

“And father,” Yuko went on. “I believe the jade has something that belonged to Hiroki’s bride.” She said it snidely but Sykkuno seemed to take a keen interest in the statement. 

“Ha!” The high-priest said, he slapped Hiroki’s shoulder. “You see Hiroki? She’s right of course-” He snapped his fingers and the black choker disappeared from round Sykkuno’s neck. “Not so tempting now that she can speak her mind, now is she?” The high-priest taunted.

_Even more tempting actually._

The high priest spun Hiroki around, meeting the catfish and taking the drinks he offered. “This wedding will be hysterical.” The high priest advised. “A total sham. It’ll pick you up most assuredly. I know it will.”

A servant appeared beside Yuko as if by magic, and on its platter sat a length of yellow rope. Yuko took it, and with her back to her father and Hiroki, she brought one finger up to the muzzle of her mask. Corpse and Sykkuno lifted their joined hands, offering them to her at the same time. Corpse didn’t know if that meant something.

Was Sykkuno okay with this? Was he doing it just to get out of marrying Hiroki? Or was it to get out of this whole situation alive? 

Yuko tied their two wrists, and their fingers stayed laced together. And then Corpse felt something- something pulsing on his hand, no- his finger. He lifted it, the one that wasn’t bound to Sykkuno’s, and on his finger was a thin black band, as inky and beautiful as Sykkuno’s eyes.

Sykkuno watched him examine it, then turned over their joined hands, revealing he had one to match, and Corpse’s stomach exploded in butterflies. It was actually happening. 

He was about to be married to Sykkuno.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Lol


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Mr. Whiskers was not planned, he just sort of showed up, while I was writing, and I’m going to be honest guys, he makes me laugh so goddamn hard.

“And she’ll have to go back to living with mortals!” The catfish shouted to Hiroki gleefully, he’d been cackling and gargling with mirth all the way through the high priests explanation of the coming events. “She’ll be just miserable with that rot-eater! What a foolish thing!” 

The fish propelled Hiroki down the hall, and lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Now, I’ve a niece, a real looker, the whiskers on her, down to her tits I tell ya.” 

The high-priest cleared his throat, and glanced over his shoulder at his daughter, as if reminding the drunken fish that there was a lady present. Yuko had passed off the rope to her father, and Corpse and Sykkuno were being pulled down the hall. They passed painted shoji screens, showing billowy clouds and mountains and reeds. A peaceful orderly scene, unlike the disarray they were headed for.

Corpse could feel Sykkuno’s heartbeat, a soft thud against his finger. It was quick, but not terrified. Corpse took that as a good sign. He stole a glance down at the man, just as Sykkuno glanced up at him. Neither spoke, for fear of the situation turning. There were about a million things being left unsaid.

Sykkuno smiled ever so slightly, like they’d shared a secret joke between them. And Corpse had to bite his tongue to keep from chuckling himself. 

_How in the fuck did we get here?_

But the brief moment shared gave way, when they reached the massive double doors that their guests waited behind. There was one more challenge to face, before they were done. They still needed to survive their wedding.

Corpse could hear the agitation of the crowd through the closed door. It would only be worse when they opened and the truth spilled forth as well. Corpse’s mind was so shocked by the idea that he’d be marrying Sykkuno that he hadn’t really thought about this part until now, seconds before it was unleashed on him. 

He was about to become the center of attention in a room full of strangers and they were going to despise him. His heart began to pound and he felt Sykkuno’s respond in turn. He didn’t know if Sykkuno was experiencing his own fear, or fear on Corpse’s behalf, but Corpse squeezed his hand very tightly as they made their debut

Confusion came first, then people pushing and shoving to get a look at the couple being led to the shrine at the head of the room. And then the whispers started.

Who’s that?  
Isn’t that?  
Hiroki’s bride  
With a wither  
-Eat all sorts nasty things  
Harlot  
A bottle of gin  
Shove off. You didn’t call it. You said the bride would run off  
She would have  
Would not  
Do you think she would have come back and married Hiroki? After the tryst, if she hadn’t been caught?  
Would you look at her hair  
Hair? Look at her neck!  
Filthy  
Him too  
Fitting, is what it is

And even as the crowd grew more raucous. And the scandal spread to the outer reaches, Corpse still had Sykkunos hand. 

And he kind of didn’t give a fuck what any of them thought. 

At the head of the hall they stopped, and the high priest rang a bell provided by a servant. He called for quiet. It rang nine times before the noise petered out. 

“As you may have guessed,” The high priest announced. “Our dear friend Hiroki will not be marrying tonight, for we’ve discovered a creature in disguise this eve-”

Corpse panicked, his heart jumped up to his throat.

“A rot eater, posing as a civilized thing. A seductress posing as a virgin. Let this, the imposter and his bride be a lesson.”

Corpse turned to Sykkuno, whose hand he held tight, and thought about kissing him. And in Sykkuno’s eyes, Corpse saw the thought reflected back at him. 

And they quickly looked ahead again, just as the high priest raised his hands. “We gather on this day, to wed in opprobrium this bride and this groom.” 

Yuko stepped out in front of her father and put one hand on each Corpse’s and then Sykkuno’s shoulders, a silent command to kneel. They did. The lights dimmed. 

And the ceremony began.

There was safety in the structure of the event, there was certain decorum even in a farce. The guests did not whisper, while the high priest said his prayer in a language that Corpse did not understand. And they remained still when a gold pot was brought forth to pour some sort of drink into six cups which were set out before them. 

There were three different sizes in front of Corpse, and three before Sykkuno. When they were all full, Corpse found his hands coming out automatically to take the largest first. Corpse hoped it was Dazai guiding his body. He drank from the flattened glazed dish and was surprised when he felt alcohol burning his throat. Then he set it down and gave up use of his hand so Sykkuno could drink. 

Sykkuno winced at the sting of the liquor, which Corpse found far too cute. And they went back and forth, drinking from the other cups. When Sykkuno had set down the last one, the priest clapped his hands together, and the crowd broke out into cheers, and laughter.

Corpse felt a burning where the ring was. It was turning orange, singeing his skin. Then it glowed so hot that it burnt away, leaving a black mark where it had been. And when Corpse looked up from his, he found Sykkuno’s eyes looked human again.

And they were married.

\--

“Now for the bedding!” One of the catfish’s crew shouted.

And Sykkuno’s poor exhausted heart was forced back to the terror pace all over again. He wanted to look at Corpse, to gauge whether he was angry about the present turn of events, but he couldn’t take his eyes off Hiroki, whose anger had not flagged throughout the entirety of the ceremony.

Corpse got to his feet, pulling Sykkuno up with him. The crowd was in arms for what was to come next. The thing Sykkuno kept forgetting existed until it kicked the door in and demanded Sykkuno give it his full attention.

Corpse seemed to sense Sykkuno’s growing alarm, and his thumb brushed Sykkuno’s knuckle in an attempt to soothe him, which told him that Corpse definitely had no idea what sort of humiliation awaited them. 

The crowd parted and out from it, stepped Kurangi, looking positively disgusted. Sykkuno bit his lip, he almost smiled at that. Then someone else appeared, someone Sykkuno recognized. It was the person who’d worn Corpse’s face. He must’ve been Dazai, Sykkuno realized, and Sykkuno hoped he’d explain to Corpse. Because even if Sykkuno could talk he most certainly didn’t have words to explain this. 

Yuko came next, and untied the rope looped round their wrists. And all at once Sykkuno realized two things: he would have to let go of Corpse’s hand, and then he was going to be stripped in front of a room full of intemperate strangers.

Sykkuno sucked in a few deep breaths, his eyes left Kurangi and found Hiroki, who was watching Sykkuno’s indecision with keen interest. He was waiting for one of them to mess up, to say something, or do something that would give him an excuse to tear them apart. As Sykkuno hesitated, the simmering anger Hiroki wore was briefly replaced by a hint of amusement.

That annoyed him. Sykkuno dropped Corpse’s hand, and reached back to pull at the ties round his waist. Kurangi hissed and lunged forward, stopping his hands, and loosening the garments for him. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Corpse looking very concerned at this turn of events. Then Dazai was similarly loosening some tie at the front of his clothes. 

Corpse looked down at the tie, up at Dazai, and then once more to Sykkuno. He was either putting the pieces together or totally unable to comprehend it.

Then Dazai loosened Corpse’s robe and sleeves so they fell to his waist, leaving his entire upper body totally bare. Sykkuno looked away as quick as he could but the image was already burned into his mind. He’d anticipated that Corpse would look good, but not that good!

Dazai stepped away, apparently that was as much as he needed to show. Sykkuno was suddenly brutally annoyed that he had to play the bride and endure all the stupid, violently embarrassing things that went with it.

He was certain his cheeks were already flushed, given what Kurangi was about to expose. So he stole another look at Corpse’s chest. Why did Corpse have to look hot, when Sykkuno was about to look ridiculous? 

The garment fell loose. Kurangi was behind him holding the shoulders, and all Sykkuno had to do was step out, revealing what was likely the most mortifying thing Sykkuno had ever worn in his life.

He tried to find some of the courage he'd felt earlier, tried to remind himself that they’d dressed him like this. That he had not chosen this. He tried to remember the way Hiroki’s back had trembled as the crowd laughed, with such rage and shame as it was almost palpable.

He just needed to survive this. To get through this with Corpse, as they’d done with everything thus far. Embarrassing himself in front of a ton of people was practically what he did for a living. 

So Sykkuno stepped out, and the clothes fell away.

There was a band around his chest, with boning in vertical strips tightening his ribs, but cropped to expose the lower part of his stomach. And it was… frilled, with little lacy flourishes, and he had the shortest shorts he’d ever worn to match it. Then there was the weird belt thing that connected to the stockings. 

It was worse than he thought it was going to be. Sykkuno was petrified, afraid to even lift his eyes from his stocking covered toes. He felt so incredibly small. He couldn’t look defiantly at Kurangi, couldn’t raise his eyes to Hiroki. And he especially couldn’t imagine looking at Corpse.

Then he felt something, a touch on his shoulder. Corpse was there. Sykkuno looked up into his eyes and was flooded with relief, somehow. It was just instantaneous, like chloroform in the movies.

His cheeks were flushed too. Sykkuno realized. Then Corpse leaned down, and his arm hooked under Sykkuno’s knees. And he was whisked off his feet and up into Corpse’s arms. Sykkuno hurriedly wrapped his arms around Corpse’s neck. And his stomach dropped out with awe at having been lifted so easily. And he kind of forgot to care what anyone else thought of him.

“Have ‘em consummate in the gutter!”

The crowd erupted with laughter at this. Even the high priest had a hearty chuckle. And then Corpse was shoved forwards by Yuko. 

“To the gutter!” She cried and the sound of liquor bottles opening and chatter began to fill up the room again. 

Sykkuno’s heart sputtered, reacting with fright after Corpse had already started moving. And together they made for the end of the hall. 

People called out cruel things as they passed, shockingly indecent things, but Sykkuno was in Corpse’s arms, against his bare chest. So other stuff just really wasn’t all that important. Sykkuno looked back over Corpse’s shoulder and locked eyes with Hiroki.

Hiroki was once again being inundated with piteous claps on the shoulder. He was offered conciliatory drinks, and sympathetic nods. And Sykkuno bit back a smile. Sure Hiroki got to play the victim for now but at the end of the day, all his guests, all his peers and his friends would go home and talk of this. They would remember this spectacle. The day that Hiroki’s bride was wed to his lover. And they would continue to pity him. They'd think him an idiot for trying to wed Sykkuno, think him an idiot for losing his bride. And Sykkuno hoped that these horrid, rancorous guests would never let him forget any of it, even for a second.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our guys are spirit-married!
> 
> I loved the reactions to last chapter. You guys are awesome!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe how far we've come? Damn. What a ride.

The crowd shouted and booed them all the way out the round red doors, then stood at the top as Corpse descended low flat steps to the pavilion. No one followed them down, there were simply calls made for them to hurry up and consummate already. Then another call came, this one from within the hall, announcing that the banquet was starting. And so the spirits took their drunken merriment back inside. 

Leaving Corpse and Sykkuno mostly undressed and finally alone.

“I uh- I think you can let me down now.” Sykkuno said, voice low and soft, after having not been used in quite some time. Corpse hesitated for a moment, then carefully lowered Sykkuno’s stocking covered feet to the pavement outside. 

The moon and the stars illuminated the courtyard in a strange way, catching on the branches of the artfully shaped trees, and boulders like cobwebs. It was beautiful even before Sykkuno saw what it did to Corpse’s chest. 

The pretty pale muscle moved. He moved. Arms pulled Sykkuno in close and so much of their skin was touching, that Sykkuno forgot to breathe. He pressed his face into Corpse’s neck and their bodies slotted together in an embrace. It might have been thankfulness to be alive, but it was also a confusing mess of bottled up things thought but never said.

“Uh Corpse,” Sykkuno felt more than just the hardness of the muscle, and Corpse seemed to shiver at his name. 

“Mm?” His gravelly voice replied. Sykkuno turned up to look at his face and found his one exposed eye alive with something that was very intense to look at.

“Are you-?”

“Yeah,” Corpse’s voice was very breathy, it made Sykkuno’s knees a little weak. “Sykkuno, you look- fuck.”

“I look fuck?”

“God.” Corpse leaned his face down into Sykkuno’s shoulder. “Swearing makes it worse.”

“How do we- um, get out of here?” Sykkuno asked, trying to distract himself before he gave in to any of the inappropriate things his body suggested.

Corpse’s hands gripped Sykkuno’s shoulders, and he sort of forced himself away. He inhaled a breath of night air, and looked up at the wide red doors. “Dazai.”

Sykkuno spun around, and found Yuko and ‘Corpse’ descending the steps. There was a rustle, Corpse draped around his shoulders, and Sykkuno quickly tucked it around himself.

“You survived.” Yuko declared.

“Thank you.” Sykkuno said, “I can’t even begin to-”

“I’ve done nothing for your sake.” Yuko replied, and the sharpness in her tone took Sykkuno aback for a moment. He worried suddenly that perhaps he shouldn’t have spoken to her at all. “I too was nearly a bride to Hiroki. He is a hypocrite and a boar. You owe me nothing.”

Sykkuno smiled, and Yuko removed her mask revealing a lovely human-looking face beneath. She too was smiling.

Corpse, or Dazai dressed as Corpse, wore an almost customer service like smile. Perhaps it was a natural expression to Dazai, but it looked terribly odd on Corpse’s face. “I am pleased to see you haven’t been dismembered.”

Corpse chuckled. “Yeah, uh- same.” Dazai stumbled a little on the bottom step. Corpse's brows came together in concern. “Are you okay?”

“This evening has been,” Dazai sighed. “taxing.”

“I told you they were smart enough to keep their mouths shut.” Yuko scolded. “You didn’t have to babysit them the entire time.” 

“You should get back before you are missed.” Dazai answered

“Fine.” Yuko replied. “But you’ll call if you plan to make mischief in this world again.”

“Of course.” Dazai said, bowing low for her. Yuko smirked and reaffixed her mask. Then she hopped back up the steps to the wedding hall. Sykkuno watched her go, and as soon as she was out of sight, Dazai collapsed.

“Oh Jesus.” Sykkuno lunged forward, reaching Dazai before Corpse did.

"What's happening?”

“Just a little tired.” Dazai said, as Sykkuno helped him back to his feet. Corpse watched hands out stretched, making to catch them both if Dazai brought them down.

“Is it-” Corpse stuttered. “Would blood help?”

“No,” Dazai said, reaching into an inner pocket of his formal robes. “Just take this and draw a circle with-”

“With lucky charms, yeah I got it.” Corpse took the chalk Dazai offered to a plaster wall, which likely enclosed some sort of garden.

“Runes.” Dazai corrected, and he shifted trying to take some weight off Sykkuno’s shoulders.

“Do you want to drink my blood?” Sykkuno offered.

“There's no point.” Dazai replied, even his lungs sounded tired. “It takes time to” - a long breath - “digest. My apologies, I don’t mean to-”

“It’s fine.” Corpse called out. “Your answers are great, Dazai. Does the horseshoe go by the moon? Yeah, that looks right… I think.”

The night was quiet. There were no crickets or traffic noise, there was only Dazai’s labored breathing. Which, when paired with Corpse’s face, made Sykkuno’s heart ache. There was also the sound of Corpse’s chalk scuffing and scraping as he drew.

Then a great creak.

And Sykkuno felt the hairs prickle on the back of his neck before he even had to turn around.

“There she is!” Hiroki’s voice carried out over the pavilion, and Sykkuno’s body reacted as if it were a fire alarm. “My former bride!” He sounded drunk. But he didn’t take the steps, rather he was already down in the time it took for Sykkuno to turn and face him.

“And you.” Hiroki sounded surprised, but maybe not entirely. He had his eyes fixed on Dazai who hadn’t changed, he still looked like Corpse. Sykkuno panicked. Why didn’t he change it? “Of course it was you, under that mask.”

Hiroki’s fist collided with Dazai’s jaw. And he went down hard. Sykkuno’s shock rooted him to the spot for a moment, just long enough for Hiroki to set him in his sights. “Now- ” 

Whatever Hiroki was about to say was interrupted by the sound of his name coming from the hall, his hand closed on Sykkuno’s arm for a moment, a bruising immoveable vice. Then fell away just as fast.

Sykkuno almost didn’t see what had even happened. Corpse was just there, beside him, fist bloodied, and Hiroki was a few feet away with a hand to his face, jaw ajar. 

Corpse extended a hand to Dazai and pulled him to his feet. Hiroki looked between them, furious and confused, then someone emerged from the crack in the palace door, and called Hiroki’s name out into the night.

Sykkuno had already backed himself almost all the way to the chalk drawing, Corpse came with Dazai, and together they ushered him through. 

Hiroki didn’t move to stop them, didn’t say a word, he simply watched them go with an expression Sykkuno had never seen on him, wariness.

And that was the last Sykkuno saw of that world.

\--

Corpse practically carried Dazai to the couch, easing the man down off his shoulder with care, before turning on Sykkuno. “Are you okay?”

“Are you?” Sykkuno countered. “How-?”

“I don’t believe that he is as mortal as you are.” Dazai responded, he had his eyes shut, and the angle of his head suggested he was too tired to even lift it.

Corpse shifted his attention to Dazai. “How’s your face?” he asked with concern. 

Dazai smiled a little. “It’s not my face.” 

Corpse chuckled, and the tension in the room seemed to dissipate substantially. “Okay, how’s my face then?”

“It’s going to hurt when you put it on.”

“Guess you can hold onto it for a bit then.” Corpse said sarcastically, and Dazai actually laughed a little.

“It won’t require treatment,” Dazai said. “Though the same cannot be said for your hand.”

Corpse glanced down at his right hand and found it swollen and purpling, with a bit of blood leaking from a couple splits in the knuckles.

“Oh Jesus.” Sykkuno exclaimed, when he saw how bad it was. “Do you have a first aid kit?” 

“Might have something in the bathroom.” Corpse replied. “It doesn’t actually hurt much.”

“Likely due to-” 

“Wait, don’t start explaining till I get back.” Sykkuno said, as he readjusted his tie-less robe, and went to find the first-aid kit.

“Do you want a salt circle, or something?” Corpse asked, as Sykkuno disappeared into the bathroom. 

“You two are spirit enough that I am not expending any excess energy.” 

“So you’re comfortable?” Corpse verified. “There isn’t anything else I could do?”

“I’ll just need a couple years rest.”

“That’s-” Corpse paused, as Dazai rested his eyelids. “You’re not exaggerating.”

Dazai shook his head back and forth lazily.

“Do you want to sleep here?” Corpse asked. “You’d have something to eat whenever you woke up.”

Dazai smiled ever so slightly. “Perhaps.”

Sykkuno returned, dressed in one of Corpse's white t-shirts, and carrying a clear plastic container that Corpse didn’t know he owned. Sykkuno pushed him down into an armchair, and propped open the kit in Corpse’s lap. Then leaned into the arm of the chair, and got to work on Corpse’s hand. 

Corpse’s attention was less focused on the first aid kit than it was on the inch of skin between the bottom of the t-shirt, and the top of Sykkuno’s stockings. Which, in and of itself would have been distracting, but when Sykkuno half sat down, it rode just far enough to reveal the frills on the thing underneath it.

“Um, Dazai?” Sykkuno asked, cradling Corpse’s injured hand in both of his. “Are we safe here?” 

Dazai nodded, then yawned. “His anchor is gone.” 

“You threw out my bonsai tree?” Sykkuno asked, sounding mildly offended. 

“Came pretty fucking close.” 

“But you didn’t, right?”

“I repotted it.” Corpse sighed, and he caught the edge of a smile from Sykkuno. 

“Furthermore,” Dazai went on, “I don’t think Hiroki expected to be hit that hard. So, hopefully he’ll be hesitant to pursue.”

Corpse smiled to himself. “You think I actually scared him?”

“He didn’t use his full strength when he hit me. Which leads me to believe he thought you were a mortal disguised as one of my race. And when you hit him, he realized his error.” 

“So it actually hurt him? How?” Sykkuno said. “Cause he was way way stronger than me.”

“Are your parents human?” Dazai asked.

Corpse blanked. “As far as I know.” 

“They live in Nevada, right?” Sykkuno supplied, as if that proved they were human beyond a shadow of a doubt.

“My mom, my sister and her dad do.” Corpse replied.

“And your father?” 

“I uh- don’t know much about my father.” Corpse admitted, recalling that his mother had only ever described the man as a drifter.

“Then I would guess he may have been some kind of Yokai.” Dazai said. “This would explain why you attract more blights that most, why your blood hastened your companions' transition-”

“And why I could punch Hiroki?”

“But Hiroki said I would be really weak after I changed,” Sykkuno argued. “For like forty years, shouldn’t Corpse still have been weaker than him.”

Dazai sighed heavily and lifted his head to look at Sykkuno. “When you agreed to marry Hiroki a sort of link opened and it was his energy that fueled your transition. Similarly, your recent marriage established a new link, at a point when you were brimming with energy siphoned from Hiroki. Accessing that power, in addition to my reserves, and those of his own mortal body...”

“Made Corpse as strong as Hiroki?” Sykkuno supplied. “And he can control it?”

“No, he cannot.” Dazai replied flatly, and his tone brought a smile to Corpse’s face. “He has almost entirely depleted the spiritual energy in both your body, and mine.”

“Sorry.” Corpse said, chuckling at his own ineptitude. “Should we trade back?”

“Soon.” Dazai replied. “But not yet. I suspect the effect will wear off, when you return to this body, and we’d like to make the mortal mortal again, before we sever the connection.”

“Why-?”

“Right now, your natural spiritual energy is thriving in a spirit's body. I believe your mortal body is not so fond of that part of you. It may even be allergic to it, contributing to your chronic illness.”

“Holy fuck, seriously?”

“It’s just a theory.” Dazai replied with a yawn. “Once your friend can no longer see me, we will switch back.”

Corpse leaned his head back suddenly as tired as Dazai. “Wow.” Corpse glanced down at his hand to find that Sykkuno had neatly wrapped it with white bandages, while they’d been talking. 

“Uh, thank you.” Sykkuno brushed a thumb over the bandages and Corpse looked up at him. He still looked pretty, very pretty, but it wasn’t quite so ethereal. “Did you look in the mirror?”

“Yeah,” Sykkuno said. “I tried to get some of the make-up off, but I feel like it didn’t really work.” Corpse examined his face, he couldn’t see any trace of grain, but there were still flowers and leaves in his hair, and Corpse realized he’d be a little sad to see those go.

“So this is going to start hurting when we switch back?” Corpse asked, glancing down at his hand.

“Yes,” Dazai replied, voice soft and low, as if he were already half asleep.

“Do you have any more questions?” Corpse asked Sykkuno.

The edge of Sykkuno’s mouth turned up with the ghost of a grin. “Yeah, uh- one. Did you guys have some sort of rescue plan going in?”

Corpse grinned sheepishly. “Uh- well-”

“Yuko hijacked it.” Dazai said. “I should have... anticipated...” And then mid sentence, Dazai finally dozed off, head halfways fallen to his shoulder.

Sykkuno had kept Corpse’s hand in his lap, and was gently tracing the lines of the tape. Corpse could see the thin black mark on Sykkuno’s finger. Was Sykkuno really trying to ask whether getting spirit married had been part of the plan?

Because it wasn’t, but Corpse certainly didn’t mind. Did Sykkuno?

“Can you still touch the mask?” Corpse asked, mind drifting to what had happened the last time Sykkuno had pushed it aside. Sykkuno reached a hand out, and his fingers passed right through, landing on Corpse’s cheek. “There’s uh-” Corpse hesitated. “There’s something I need to talk to you about with the mask.”

Sykkuno, left his hand on Corpse’s face, and bit his lip. It was probably nervousness, but Corpse was seized with the urge to kiss it away. 

“Dazai is a God of Decay,” Corpse went on. “So everywhere the mask touches it’s going to be- kinda fucked up after this. I figured it wouldn’t really matter since no one sees my face anyways, but I uh- I just wanted to let you know so it- it doesn't freak you out.” 

Sykkuno looked confused for a moment, then his face fell. He lifted Corpse’s hand to his mouth, and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I don’t care.” Corpse said. Sykkuno’s eyes began to well up with tears. “Hey, sh- it’s okay.” 

“Thank you.” Sykkuno said, very quietly. Corpse’s eyes fell again on the black ring around Sykkuno’s finger.

“Just so you know, I-” Corpse struggled with the words, but suddenly it felt very important that he say what had jumped to the forefront of his mind. “I don’t expect- You aren’t obligated to-” _be married to me_. Corpse exhaled. “You don’t owe me anything. You’re my friend, and I just want you safe and happy.”

“I know.” Sykkuno said, and Corpse couldn’t tell what Sykkuno was feeling. There were still dewdrop tears near the smudged remnants of the leafy art painted by his eyes, but he was smiling too. What did that mean?

“Dazai’s gone.” Sykkuno reported. And Corpse felt apprehension tingling the nerves near his spine. 

It was time to remove the mask and see what it had done to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little drama, and a lot of talking. Hopefully some answers to questions you may have had. I never expected Dazai to become the character he's become. He's literally my first OC that wasn't an antagonist, and I adore him. He's not Mr. Whiskers but definitely a close second as far as OC's go.
> 
> Next chapter Corpse and Sykkuno are going to have a 'chat'. 
> 
> Also, I believe Corpse has mentioned having a sister, but stuff about his sister having a different father, and that his parents live in Nevada is just something I made up. Which I think is kind of a funny note for me to write given this story is entirely made-up, I just thought I should clarify. Lol.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could this be the end? Yes.  
> Is it the end? No. 
> 
> (smut warning)

Corpse rose from the armchair, and realized then that he was still naked from the waist up. He shook his head at the strange garment. He should really put some pants on- but first he needed to get back in his mortal body. 

As Corpse looked down at his own face, sleeping peacefully on the couch, he wondered if his body had given Dazai any trouble. If it hurt him as badly as it hurt Corpse, or if Dazai was perfectly content in it. If he stayed maybe Corpse would get a chance to ask.

“Dazai.” Corpse said, a little louder than the low tones that he and Sykkuno had been speaking in.

“I heard.” Dazai grumbled, and Corpse leaned down so that he could take the mask. 

Oddly, Corpse felt it peel away, felt air rush in to touch his skin. And when Dazai brought it to his own face, all at once Corpse’s hand and his cheek throbbed angrily, knocking the breath out of him. And when he looked back at Dazai, the human was no longer stretched over the couch, rather, in his place sat a small white ball of fur on the cushion.

“Hey Dazai,” Corpse said, furrowing his brow in confusion. “I can still see you.”

Dazai opened one eye and appraised him. “Don't sit on me then.” 

And went right back to sleep.

“Ow.” Corpse whined, as he straightened up. He brought a hand to his aching cheek, and found it quite tender. Then turned around to find Sykkuno watching him.

“Your face.” was the first thing Sykkuno said. Corpse's heart pounded, he couldn’t read Sykkuno’s expression. Then he was very close to Corpse, right in front of him, eyes running over the lines and planes of his cheeks and his brow. “It's fine.”

“Wait really?” Corpse let his fingers trace round from his painful cheek, to the other one. He found no mottling, nothing that felt out of the ordinary. “Dazai,” he gasped.

“Half blood-” Dazai mumbled the explanation, through a yawn. 

Then Sykkuno’s arms were around his neck, and he was grinning wide. “Thank god.”

Corpse’s hands came to rest at Sykkuno’s waist, and he felt the corner of his mouth come up halfways. “Did you like my face that much?” 

Sykkuno’s eyes flicked away and his arms fell from Corpse’s neck. “No,” He breathed. “I- I just thought- I was worried it would make things harder for you. N- not that I don't like your face though, I really do, and you almost-” Sykkuno’s eyes began to water. “you almost gave it up- for me.” 

Corpse brought a finger to his own lips to shush Sykkuno’s rambling. “I didn't lose it, so it's fine” He whispered. “Let's head to your place, so Dazai can sleep.”

“Oh,” Sykkuno brought a hand up to his mouth, embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“Let me grab some pants.” Corpse said, letting go of Sykkuno to dip into his bedroom.

“Oh uh, could I borrow some too?” Sykkuno trailed after Corpse, but hung back at the door. 

“We'll only be in the hall for a second.” Corpse said, as he grabbed a pair of sweatpants off the floor. “Should have stolen some when you stole my shirt.”

“Corpse!” Sykkuno flushed, and averted his eyes as Corpse untied the robes and let them fall. Corpse couldn’t tell whether the indignation was at the idea of being seen by one of their neighbours in his rather suggestive ensemble, or at being accused of thievery. 

“What?” Corpse asked slyly. “You're covered.” Sykkuno bit his lip, trying to come up with something to say, and Corpse tossed a checkered pair of pajama pants at him. “Those might fit.” 

Once dressed, Corpse grabbed Sykkuno’s keys and his own from the table by the door and they went over to his apartment.

“Wait, why do you have my keys?” Sykkuno whispered in the hall, footfalls silenced by the stockings he still wore underneath the pants. 

“I may have broken into your apartment.”

“What?” Sykkuno gasped. “How?” Corpse unlocked his door, and they stepped inside.

“The window.”

“Jesus,” Sykkuno said, brows furrowing with concern. “Corpse, that's dangerous.”

“I got worried when you didn't respond to my message.” Corpse had spoken without thinking. He immediately regretted it. He glanced at Sykkuno, suddenly feeling awkward, like his voice had been too loud in the quiet apartment. 

“I'm sorry.” Sykkuno replied, and Corpse’s anxiety spiked. “I changed,” Sykkuno went on. “I couldn't touch the phone anymore.”

“It’s fine.” Corpse responded quietly.

And then neither he, nor Sykkuno seemed to know what to say anymore. Did they talk about Corpse’s confession? Should Corpse have asked Sykkuno for his answer? If it weren’t for the flowers in Sykkuno’s hair, and the rings burnt into their fingers, Corpse might have thought it all one big strange dream. That he was now waking up from.

Maskless, Corpse almost didn’t feel like the person who’d rescued Sykkuno, the person who’d sucked those faded pink marks into his neck. It was like reality itself was standing there in the apartment before them, freezing them with it’s cruel glare. 

And the air was only getting thicker in the pause. The empty low lit apartment was filled up with all the things he and Sykkuno had failed to say aloud. Maybe this was why people asked, before getting married. So that this didn’t happen. So they didn’t end up awkwardly waiting for their crush to say something about the fact that they were married now. 

“So…” Sykkuno said, breaking the awkward silence

“So.” Corpse said, and kind of hated himself as soon as he said it. He wished they could go back to making out as means of communication.

“Guess you're my Corpse Husband.”

“Ah- Ha.” Corpse coughed on a laugh that caught him completely off guard. Then it built in his chest, spilled out, rough and exhilarating.

Sykkuno wore a gentle grin. “I- was that a bad one?”

Corpse’s lungs hurt but he was still laughing, “No, no.” Corpse caught a breath and then lost it again to the look on Sykkuno’s face. “No, it was good. I liked it.”

Sykkuno giggled too, as Corpse calmed down, and everything got a whole lot lighter.

\--

_Corpse has a nice laugh._ Sykkuno thought, still grinning at Corpse's breathlessness. It made him feel better. Not all the way better, but a little bit. “I’m going to change.” He said, excusing himself to his bedroom.

Once he was out of Corpse’s direct line of sight, he touched the spot on his finger where the blackened mark was. He couldn’t seem to come up with the right words to describe how he felt about it. Not that he’d ever been particularly good at knowing what to say. But it was even worse now that he really needed to do it. How did Corpse manage it? How did he clump words together so they made something meaningful? The things Sykkuno came up with were hardly even comprehensible. He looked at the black ring and was glad it hadn’t disappeared when Dazai did. He might have had it tattooed back on if it had. Sykkuno adored it. Which was weird. His stomach squirmed. Surely, Corpse would find that weird. 

That was where Sykkuno was stuck. He couldn’t figure out how to say how he felt without thinking of the ring. And he was scared that if he admitted that he liked Corpse, he might accidentally admit that ‘like’ was far too meager a word to describe what he felt. Sykkuno dropped the pajama pants and stepped out of them, then lifted Corpse’s shirt up into his teeth, to try and get the weird band round his chest off. It seemed he was stuck in that too.

He looked at the bedroom door, and debated asking Corpse for help. Sykkuno tried to reach the lacing at the back again, but the ends were tucked in somehow, and he had no idea how to free them. Corpse had already seen it, so he had no reason to be embarrassed. But his cheeks burned at the memory of Corpse’s earlier response.

And with that thought warming his head, Sykkuno called for help. He transferred the bunched up shirt from his teeth to a fist, and was looking down at the belt thing, when Corpse entered. 

Looking up again, he found Corpse’s eyes averted, and the slightest hint of colour coming to his cheeks. 

“Um-” Sykkuno forgot how to talk again. “Could you-” This was a bad idea. This was probably the dumbest idea he’d ever had. “Help unlace me.”

Corpse let out a breath, and he came closer, which set Sykkuno’s pulse racing. He turned around, so Corpse could see his back, and then held his breath, waiting for his touch.

His fingertips landed, and Sykkuno shivered. Corpse pulled free the ends and uncinched the bow, then began slowly loosening the laces, until Sykkuno could ease it down off his body. Before Sykkuno could lower the shirt though, Corpse’s fingers came to trace the ridged impression left by the garment, lighting more nerves with pleasant little shivers as he did. Sykkuno prayed that Corpse wouldn’t feel the reverberations of his frantic heart off his ribs.

“Do- do you know how to get…” Sykkuno turned to face Corpse and dropped a hand to lift one of the little straps connecting the belt to the stockings. “This thing off?”

“Called a garter.” Corpse murmured, and his fingers drifted down Sykkuno’s side to touch the top of it. “Looks good on you.” 

Sykkuno’s body immediately responded to his touch, insisting that Corpse take the garter and everything else off with it. Corpse’s eyes, which had been down on the belt, flicked up to Sykkuno’s mouth. And Sykkuno was just about helpless against what was inevitably coming next. He could feel that Corpse wanted him, like it was zipping through the tips of Corpse’s fingers and invading him.

“Thanks.” Sykkuno whispered. Corpse’s fingers fell to the skin that peeked through the bottom of the garter and the top of his shorts. Sykkuno’s heart pounded as he struggled to hold himself back. They were supposed to talk. Sykkuno needed to tell him how he felt. 

Corpse seemed to sense his hesitation, and his hot touch fell away. “Y- you-” Sykkuno’s head tried to make words. Words that would make Corpse understand how badly he was wanted, how badly Sykkuno needed his hands back, and at the same time convey that it wasn’t just his touch Sykkuno wanted, it was much much more than that. 

“You don’t have to stop.” was what he said instead.

It wasn’t the right thing to say, but it had an immediate effect all the same. Both of Corpse’s hands were on him, on his hips, one bandaged round the knuckles, the other burning hot, and Corpse’s mouth was close enough to taste. 

So Sykkuno forgot about talking. His tongue didn’t want to. He brought their lips together and it stole the breath from his throat. Sykkuno fell into him, with a head full of honey, heated to a boil. The kiss didn’t surprise them, but the level of intoxication it induced did.

Corpse's mouth was hot, over his for only a moment, not long enough, before the man pulled back, breathless. “Sy?” 

His eyes, with their thick dark lashes, met Sykkuno’s. There was a question being asked, and Sykkuno’s brain was too full to burning whatever to figure out what it was.

He brought their lips together again. Tasting Corpse’s tongue was better than thinking. Sykkuno pressed his whole body close. Corpse’s hands were rucking the t-shirt up, and when it was high enough, Sykkuno had to pull back to get it off. Corpse stopped just before pulling it over his head. And with his fist tight in the fabric he held Sykkuno in his gaze. “Is this-?” 

Is this okay? Is this what you want? Is this happening?

Sykkuno nodded. “Yes.” 

Then the shirt was off, and Sykkuno’s bare chest was pressed flush against Corpse’s. Sykkuno could feel the muscle as it tightened at the eager press. They couldn’t get close enough. Hot skin overpowered the effects of the chilled air in the dark room. It felt like the supply closet earlier, an extension of it. It was like they were still in that other world where Corpse was everything, and it was okay to have feelings that were this overwhelming.

Sykkuno pulled Corpse back a step, till he hit the edge of his bed. Then they broke, as Sykkuno half tripped back. 

\--

Sykkuno fell, and in the moonlight, Corpse found him exquisitely disheveled. Leant back in bed, propped up on his elbows, he looked better than any fantasy Corpse had ever managed to come up with. Skin pale, and perfect, pulled taut over lean muscle in his abdomen, chest and cheeks flushed pink. Dark eyes turned up and begged for his body to be touched. And beneath that a stronger deeper want, that Corpse couldn’t seem to find a word for.

But whatever it was felt good, and better once he’d followed Sykkuno down. Bare skin touched bare skin, and they gasped. Sykkuno was indecently soft, and warm. Chest to chest, he couldn’t tell which one of their hearts was beating so goddamn hard.

Sykkuno’s hips pressed up, and Corpse’s breath caught. His head went fuzzy, as a spark shot up his spine. Sykkuno was hard. Hard for him, Corpse almost couldn’t make sense of it. He felt it again, pushing, and Corpse wanted to touch him, he wanted to bring a hand down-

But Sykkuno’s mouth was at his jaw, his hands at the back of Corpse’s head, urging him back into a kiss. Sykkuno whimpered for it, like he’d been kept waiting far too long. Corpse obliged and he tasted urgency on the other man’s tongue.

Sykkuno allowed him half a breath, and Corpse felt teeth on his lower lip. It was perfect, fracturing his thoughts, making his head broken. Sykkuno pushed up, and Corpse felt it again, still clothed seeking friction. His hips responded, pressing down until they were slotted together, Then they were grinding like teenagers who’d just discovered pressing their cocks into someone made their head feel funny. 

“Ah-” Sykkuno gasped, his breath came quick, lungs desperate. Corpse took the chance to try and catch his. “Corpse-”

Corpse’s head flashed white again. He might have moaned, but Sykkuno’s tongue was there again, and one of his hands had fallen to Corpse’s hip to try and drag it closer. Then Sykkuno’s hands tugged his hair back, dazing Corpse all over again. Only in his fantasies could he have imagined Sykkuno like this, pulling his hair, demanding things of him. Sykkuno pushed Corpse down to his neck, and made a sound both obscene and lovely when Corpse’s mouth closed on a spot under his chin.

There was a gasp, fists tightened in Corpse’s hair. Then he whined as Corpse sucked and bit marks into the pretty skin. Corpse’s chest flared with something basic and possessive and needy as he did. Then all at once Sykkuno shuddered, and pushed him away, as his back arched off the bed. 

“W- wait,” the word was breathy, weak, adorable. Corpse wanted to kiss him again. He eased in closer, breathing next to Sykkuno’s ear before feeling another shudder roll the hips beneath him. “I-” Corpse dragged himself back properly, meeting Sykkuno’s eye and finding the expression nearly as far gone as he felt. “If- if we keep- like this,” - Sykkuno rolled his hips, searching for lost friction in the pauses. - “I’m going to ruin-”

“Ruin these?” Corpse finally allowed his palm to press against the insistent hardness, trapped under the frilled material of his shorts. Sykkuno gasped, and made a weak sound, as if still trying to answer the question. 

“Let’s fucking ruin them then.” Corpse said, his voice gravelly and thick in his throat. He pushed his pants and boxers down his hips, exposing his cock long enough for Sykkuno to roll his head back and moan at the sight of it. Then took it and pushed it up the leg of the thin shorts, so it slid up against Sykkuno’s.

“Corpse,” Sykkuno gasped, and Corpse brought their lips together again. Sykkuno whimpered into his mouth. Corpse’s hand found their cocks, closing over both. Brutally hard, he stretched the delicate fabric around them. It was mind-numbingly hot, holding them both, feeling them twitch and shift against one another, and his palm. 

There was a slickness, but it wasn’t enough. Corpse broke the kiss, brought his fingers to his mouth, pressing two along his tongue until they were wet with saliva, and went back to take them both again.

Corpse hissed and Sykkuno squirmed. He was almost painfully hard, and he could feel every pulse of Sykkuno against his palm and against his cock. He started to move his fist, and forgot to breathe for how weak it made him. Sykkuno’s mouth was on his neck, playing with tongue and teeth over the skin. Then the teeth were pushing a little harder, sucking a mark into him, and Corpse melted.

“Fuck-” He exhaled the word, hardly even realizing he’d spoken. Sykkuno’s thrust against him, clinging and gasping, trying to get closer, to get more friction. He was close, Sykkuno was. The thought slammed into him, causing his core to tighten. And it was driving Corpse to join him at the precipice.

Corpse couldn’t catch a breath, he wanted to feel Sykkuno cum, badly. More than he wanted to breathe. So he caught Sykkuno’s mouth again. 

Then something blossomed up from the vibrant, body-rending heat. Corpse felt it there, and he knew that it would send him over that edge if he allowed himself to feel it. It was dangerous, it was adrenaline, it was vibrant and intense, and it was only for Sykkuno. It raked his heart, leaving him raw and open, and it poured into their kiss. 

Sykkuno made a sound that tore him apart. Quick battered breaths turned to exhilarant sobs. Sykkuno, shuddered, arched and came undone beneath him. Something burst at the base of Corpse’s skull and he lost himself too. Flooded with molten euphoria, he was full and broken all at once. Unable to breathe or see, or feel anything but the vicious pulses that wrung him out. 

The high faded rapidly to heartache.

Corpse’s pulled back, reality, like the night around them, closed in around the pair. It suffocated Corpse, tightening cruelly about his throat. His hand was sticky, his head was hollowed out, emptied, leaving him only a heartsick mess.

“I like you.” Sykkuno whispered. 

Corpse’s chest caved in, relief blasted through him like a shotgun shell. “Thank fuck.”

Sykkuno’s breath came quick, bordering on a nervous laugh. “Do you-” 

“Yes.” Corpse cut him off in his haste to express the giant feeling that was crushing his lungs. Corpse flopped to his side and turned his head so he could look Sykkuno in the eye. “A lot.”

Sykkuno’s little white buds shone in the moonlight. He looked like a dream. 

“Me too.” He whispered. “It almost hurts.” Sykkuno touched his heaving chest. “Like maybe… I’m losing my mind again.”

“If you are, you’re doing it with me.” Corpse replied, and let his eyes fall shut. 

Exhaustion crashed into him, once the weight of that feeling was cast into the air. They laid next to one another for a moment, breathing through the emotion and lingering, tingling pleasure. And Corpse couldn’t make sense of it. It really was like going crazy, this falling in love thing. And he and Sykkuno were doing it, together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is cuddles and more talking. The final chapter is more of this. Lol.
> 
> Thoughts on this one?


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for cuddles and talking. So that's this here.

Sykkuno woke to find his body folded into the heat of Corpse’s. It would have been blissful were it not for Sykkuno’s heart spasming alive, when he felt something hard flex gently against him. Memories assaulted him. But Sykkuno fought back. He wanted to relax, to fall back asleep. He focused on the soft morning light that filtered into his bedroom, Corpse’s slow and deep breath, his comforter all bunched up around them, like fluffy snow drifts. It didn’t work. Sykkuno was trapped beneath Corpse’s strong arm, and there was another push of Corpse’s hips. 

And Sykkuno’s body betrayed him. He squeezed his eyes shut as his mind jumped to replay the events of the previous night. _Not now_. Not while he was held tight against Corpse’s body. But his chest was already swelling, the memory was already playing.

His confession - Sykkuno bit his tongue with embarrassment. - the timing of it. He was an idiot. Saying something like that during the post-orgasm high of his first sexual encounter with another person. He should have said something before, or now that he was ‘sober’. If you could call achingly hard from the slightest brush of Corpse’s dick sober. 

As Corpse promised, they’d ruined Sykkuno’s strange lingerie. Sykkuno’s cheeks flushed at that too. Why did Corpse have to make him do that, make them cum like that? Like teenagers that didn’t have the patience or self control to even get their clothes off? It was ridiculous. And it was turning him on all over again.

Sykkuno shivered as his mind drifted to the way Corpse kissed him when he was about to cum. The kiss that sent him over the edge. It was so intense, how did Corpse even manage to kiss him like that? Maybe they were just pent up, from… making out in a supply closet like teenagers. Sykkuno rolled his face into his pillow, hiding his blush from the empty room. 

“Sy?” The impossibly low voice came and Sykkuno could almost feel the rumble of it in his own chest. Sykkuno’s already heated body seemed to burn even hotter. Then Corpse’s arm tightened around him and Sykkuno’s heart squeezed in response.

“Corpse.” Sykkuno breathed the name and found his voice sounded embarrassingly tender. Then the air was punched from his lungs by Corpse’s cock grinding into his ass. An involuntary sound was drawn from him. Then Sykkuno’s own body pulsed feebly, already as hard as he could physically be. 

“Mm?” Corpse grumbled in response to the whimper and his hips froze. “Ah- uh- sorry.” His hips pulled away. 

“H- how are you?” Sykkuno said, turning over to face Corpse. He hoped Corpse wouldn’t comment on the flush of his cheeks, or how he tucked himself into his waistband to hide just how stupidly affected he was.

Curling an arm under the pillow, he found Corpse’s jaw bruised. And Sykkuno's stomach dropped. “Jesus, Corpse” His fingers came out to touch the purple. “Does it hurt?”

Corpse’s jaw opened in a yawn, and Sykkuno watched him wince. “Yeah.” 

“We should get you some pain killers.” Sykkuno murmured. 

“Not yet.” Corpse requested, quietly meeting Sykkuno’s eye. His weren’t really black, Sykkuno noticed in the early morning light, there was a hint of color, blackberry wine. His curls were chaotic, and adorable. And the bruised cheek somehow managed to fit with it, like Corpse had chosen to wear it because he knew he could pull it off.

“I like your face.” Sykkuno said, accidentally voicing the thought, instead of holding it inside his head. 

“Yours is pretty good too.” Corpse replied with the edge of a smile. Corpse pulled Sykkuno into his chest, his one bandaged hand cupping Sykkuno's head reverently. “Should we talk?” Sykkuno once again felt the low rumble of his voice, like thunder but gentle. 

“Probably.” Sykkuno said, and his heart kicked with nervousness. “I’m kind of scared though.” 

"Of me?” 

“No,” Sykkuno hurriedly corrected. “Scared I’ll mess it up. I’m too stuttery and I can’t say what I mean sometimes.” 

“You’re not stuttering now.” Corpse pointed out. 

“Still…” Sykkuno said, pulling away from Corpse to look him in the eye. “I really don’t want to mess up.”

“Me neither.” Corpse whispered, and Sykkuno felt some of the nerves dissipate.

“So uh-” Sykkuno began awkwardly. “How do we start?” 

“Uh-” Corpse yawned, and took Sykkuno's hand, so that they rested on the pillow between them, while their legs tangled softly in the sheets. “How is this?”

“This…” Sykkuno repeated. “As in holding hands?” 

“This, as in physical affection.”

“Oh uhm,” Sykkuno tensed for a moment, trying to suppress the blush before it hit his cheeks. “I like it.” Sykkuno’s fingers closed tight, clenching the pillow under his head in a fist, as he gathered the courage to say the rest. “I want to keep doing it. If you do.” 

Corpse smiled. “I really do.”

“What about,” - Corpse paused and bit his lip, struggling with whatever he wanted to say next. He took a breath, held it for a sec, then let it out. Sykkuno was just starting to get nervous by the time he actually finished the thought. - “last night?”

Sykkuno pushed his face into the pillow, suddenly unable to meet Corpse's eye. He wasn't ready to talk about that with Corpse actually looking at him. With his body still aching for him. 

“Sykkuno?”

He opened an eye and found terror on Corpse's face. 

“I liked it!” Sykkuno’s chest caught. “I'm sorry. I feel-” He was stuttering again. He forced a breath. “I’m embarrassed.” Corpse's mouth curled into a smile that was half relief and half amusement. “Last night was-” Sykkuno cut himself off before he used a word like fantastic or incredible, or something equally humiliating. “It's really hard for me to talk about this.”

“About sex?”

Sykkuno's body pulsed weakly at the word. And he nodded.

“I'm sorry.” Sykkuno went on. “It was my first time and I-”

“Your first time with a guy?” Corpse asked, and Sykkuno struggled not to push his face into the pillow again.

“With anyone.”

“I was?” Corpse raised his eyebrows. 

Sykkuno nodded. “So I'm sorry if it was uh- quick.” Sykkuno’s throat closed over with shame, and he looked down at their joined hands so he wouldn’t have to see the expression on Corpse’s face.

Corpse chuckled quietly, and ran his thumb over Sykkuno’s knuckle. “Sykkuno, it's fine. I don't know if you noticed but I came pretty fucking quick too, and it was not my first time.”

It was like all his nerves lit up at once, like his circuits flashed and overloaded for a second. Then Sykkuno let out a shaky breath. “So you weren't expecting...?” 

“No,” Corpse responded quickly. “Hell, I didn't expect- I would've been thrilled just to sleep in this bed with you again.”

Sykkuno smiled and his chest filled with warm little bubbles. “Uhm- can I ask…” Sykkuno swallowed. Corpse gave him time to gather his thoughts. “Last night was-” Sykkuno grit his teeth and willed himself to finish the thought. “It was really intense, is that ‘cause it was my first?”

Sykkuno caught a hint of pride behind Corpse’s grin. “I don't know.” He said. “It was intense for me too though.” He squeezed Sykkuno’s hand at the admission, and Sykkuno could have sworn he felt the pulse of it through his whole body. “Much better than my first time, probably better than most other times too.”

“You don't have to-”

“I'm not just saying that.” Corpse interrupted, and Sykkuno bit his lip against a grin that threatened. “It was really good.” Corpse said earnestly. Sykkuno’s spine tingled. “So I don't know if it was ‘cause it was your first or…” Corpse's eyes flicked to the band round Sykkuno’s finger.

“Oh- uhm...” They each looked at the ring of black burnt there. And Sykkuno’s body flickered alive with something he wanted to call embarrassment but was much more pleasant. He wasn’t sure what it meant. “Do you think… something weird, like…” _spirit world kind of weird._

“No, I meant-” Corpse paused this time, choosing his words carefully. “Maybe it was just intense because of yesterday.”

“Oh.” Sykkuno nodded. “Yeah, because we were feeling a lot yesterday.”

“Yeah.” Corpse said quietly, then his mind seemed to drift, and Sykkuno wondered if he too was suddenly thinking of the previous day. 

Sykkuno had deliberately avoided thoughts of his wedding prior to Corpse’s arrival. He particularly avoided anything outside of the seven minutes he’d spent in a dry goods store room with Corpse. Because everything else was just sickening dread and fear. Fear like he’d never felt before and hoped never to feel again. That fear was intense, just like Corpse’s touch. Perhaps they were related. 

Sykkuno noticed his hand tremble in Corpse’s. 

“Sh.” Corpse whispered, letting his eyes fall closed for a moment.

“I'm just-” Sykkuno began, halting as he lost the words and caught them again in a different place. “I'm glad that I'm” - Corpse’s eyes were on him, while Sykkuno looked at the ring.- “here with you.”

“Me too.” Corpse said, and dragged Sykkuno into his chest again. His scent and his heat, rather than grounding Sykkuno, simply woke the uncomfortable throb in his pelvis. Then as arousal pulsed up his spine, the fear was pushed away.

“Should we go check on Dazai?” Sykkuno murmured, trying to distract himself before Corpse discovered that the cuddling wasn’t soothing him in the way Corpse intended it to.

“Probably.” Corpse murmured. Sykkuno felt his body settling, Corpse’s heart and his muscles relaxing like a lake slowly turning quiet.

“Please don't tell him-” Sykkuno started.

Corpse pulled back and raised an eyebrow. The gesture silently filled in the request: ‘Please don’t tell him about this’ and at the same time responded: ‘Why would I?’ 

“I just mean, if you do think the intensity has something to do with…” _weird yokai stuff._

“Nah,” Corpse replied, easily. “I'm pretty sure it's just cause I'm really into you.”

Sykkuno’s breath disappeared, and he pressed closer to Corpse while he tried to catch it again. The statement tingled at the base of his skull, scrambling thoughts into happy fizzing static.

“I'm sorry,” Corpse went on voice low, as Sykknuo was so close to his chest. The rumble of it made Sykkuno weak. “I didn't mean for this to be so embarrassing.”

“It's not-” Sykkuno said, hurriedly. “I mean it is, but I-” His eyes were squeezed shut, Corpse couldn’t see his face. “It's not your fault. It's-” Sykkuno finally allowed his hips to press against Corpse. And the man’s arms tightened around him. “It’s just making me…” 

_Hard._

Corpse twined their legs closer, until Sykkuno was pressed up against his thigh. The pressure against him- set his head alight, and his body tightened involuntarily. Corpse made a sound, a pretty, gravelly sound, from a battered throat. Sykkuno tilted his chin up automatically for the kiss. Then there were his lips, and the warm wet heat of his mouth. And then Corpse was grinding his hardness against Sykkuno’s hip.

Sykkuno whined, and Corpse pulled back- eyes dark and lust-lined.

“Could we do it again?” Sykkuno asked.

“Right now?” Corpse was quick to speak, but his voice was barely there when he responded.

Sykkuno backed his hips away to give his brain space to function. Wasn’t there something they needed to do?

“After we check on Dazai?” Sykkuno pulled the words from his head, slowly. They were hard to grasp and hold onto. But as he heard himself the rest came. “And uhm, maybe text friends to let them know I'm not dead.”

“Yeah,” Corpse said. And he didn’t seem disappointed, as he untwined their legs. As far as Sykkuno could tell he wasn’t angry or uncomfortable, he was just horny. They both were. “I'm down whenever.”

Sykkuno shivered. “Oh- uh okay.” He pushed off Corpse’s chest and hurriedly tried to find his brain before it disappeared, and he climbed back on top of Corpse. “I need a shower.”

“Five more minutes.” Corpse stated.

“Okay but, uhm-” Even as Sykkuno protested, his body relaxed, and he let himself be maneuvered into a position that didn’t align their cocks, but still allowed Corpse’s arms to be around him. 

“I just want to hold you a little longer.” Corpse said innocently.

“Okay, uh, just-” Sykkuno swallowed and tried to steady his racing thoughts. “I'm really sensitive… to you. So just-”

“I'll be good.” Corpse promised. “You're being… too much and it’s not enough right now.”

Sykkuno wasn’t sure what the words meant, but he leaned into Corpse’s arms and enjoyed the way it made his chest feel.

\--

Sykkuno stood in the mirror in his bedroom. Corpse watched him unabashedly. He had yet to leave Sykkuno’s bed. A pillow was all bunched up underneath his arm, and his head leant there instead. He acted like he still wanted to be asleep, but his eyes hadn’t shut since Sykkuno had returned from the shower.

“I think I got all the make-up off.” Sykkuno said, looking through his closet for the grey t-shirt that was somehow softer, and looked better on him than his other ones. He’d taken Corpse’s shirt and pants to the shower, and now was trading them out for his own. Corpse didn’t respond to Sykkuno’s comments, but he perked up when Sykkuno removed his shirt. He combed through his hair with his fingers in the mirror. “I'm glad the leaves are gone too.”

“Wait,” - Corpse lifted his head from the crook of his elbow. - “Sykkuno, the leaves are gone for you?” 

“Yeah… unless,” - Sykkuno turned his head back and forth checking his reflection. - “Oh Jesus, are there some still there at the back?”

“No, no, wait, chill.” Corpse chuckled, and Sykkuno smiled involuntarily at the sound. “I think… It's maybe just something I'm seeing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Because for me, it's like, all in your hair.” Corpse said. “Flowers too.”

“Flowers?” Sykkuno examined his reflection. “Yeah, I definitely don't see any flowers.”

When he looked back at Corpse, he wore a strange crooked smile. Sykkuno couldn’t exactly figure out what it meant, but he looked happy. So Sykkuno pulled on his pants, and they went to check on Dazai.

\--

“Hey Dazai,” Corpse said gently, as he approached the little white rabbit curled up against a couple cushions on his sofa.

He twitched his nose, and huffed a short mildly annoyed breath.

“You wanna come into the bedroom so Sykkuno can see you too?”

He lazily peeled open an eye, then let it fall shut again, before burying his nose between his two from paws.

“Okay, I'm going to pick you up and put you there. We’re going to talk for like five minutes. Then I'll set you up something cozy out here, and you can sleep for as long as you need.” Corpse said, and reached down to get his hands under the creature’s belly.

Dazai allowed it, curling in Corpse’s arms as soon Corpse had him settled. It made Corpse smile, but it probably looked pretty strange to Sykkuno. Corpse brought him into the bedroom, and placed him in the circle of salt which Corpse had yet to clean up. He stretched once Corpse placed him down on the cold hardwood, then folded up again into a little loaf of white.

“Good morning. How are you doing?” Corpse asked, and Dazai only yawned in response. “You mentioned maybe putting up wards to keep Hiroki away.” 

“You know which page they're on.” 

“Okay, and they go on mirrors, doors and windows?”

“Yes.” Dazai said. Corpse smiled to himself. Dazai clearly wasn’t much for mornings, another quality that Corpse probably shouldn’t have found endearing.

“And will they bother you?” Sykkuno asked. “If you’re staying here?”

“No,” Dazai replied. “Like the salt circle, you'll have to let me out, if I wish to leave, but they won't bother me.”

Corpse quirked his head, realizing for a moment that by staying here, Dazai was essentially allowing himself to be caged by Corpse. That was a great deal of trust to be placing in a ‘house plant’. “I can see you now, so just let me know if you want to leave.”

“Mm, that reminds me.” Dazai said, actually looking up at Corpse to speak this time. “If you can see me, you'll likely be able to see other Yokai, out in the world. Try not to acknowledge them, or be eaten.”

Corpse chuckled. “Okay.”

\--

“Uhm, Dazai?” Sykkuno said timidly and the rabbit turned his attention to Sykkuno. “Is there anything I can do to well- to thank you?” 

“I would appreciate it if you could avoid me, when possible.” Dazai stated. 

Sykkuno shook his head, confused and taken aback by the response.

“Because of his energy?” Corpse hurriedly supplied.

“Yes.”

“Apparently you have a sort of purifying energy or something.”

“I believe it is part of what attracted Hiroki to you.” Dazai elaborated. “All mortals have a small amount of innate energy, yours is a growing sort, which for a tree spirit is like sunshine. But for myself, you are a little bright.” 

Sykkuno wasn’t entirely sure what that meant for him. Whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. 

But Dazai wasn’t finished speaking. “Try and stay near him, when he's out. Hopefully, you'll drive away some of the more unpleasant yokai, while he's still learning to ignore them.”

“What about things like Hiroki, things that like my… energy?” Sykkuno asked.

“I'm sure I’m scary enough to keep them away.” Corpse said, and Sykkuno shook his head with a half smile at Corpse’s confidence. 

Dazai only yawned. 

“Okay, let me go set up a bed for you.” Corpse said, and wandered off, leaving Sykkuno alone with Dazai.

“Well, thank you, Dazai. I-” Sykkuno felt the gratitude thicken into a lump in his throat. “I'll never be able to repay you for what you've done for me.”

“You could take care of him.” 

“Corpse?”

“Yes,” Dazai replied. “He's experienced a great deal of pain for a mortal.”

Sykkuno heart constricted with affection for both Dazai, and for the absent subject of their conversation. “I will.” 

But Sykkuno was planning to anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one more chapter, and it's really more of a bonus, as it's a little low on plot. Much love to everyone that's been following this story. Open to concrit, or just general reviews of the story, parts you liked, if there were any parts that dragged, did the payoffs feel satisfying for the set ups. 
> 
> Or if you just wanna <3 the cuddles that's cool too. :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tagging this one Complete! Yay! I didn’t label who was talking in the Groupchat, but I had some voices in my head when I wrote it. Corpse is italicized. Overall, I hope it’s not too confusing, I just thought it flowed better without the tags.

“Do you think other people can see these?” Sykkuno asked, when they were back in his apartment, after Corpse had tucked Dazai into his spot on the sofa. Sykkuno was referring to the rings. It stood to reason that if he could see it, then it was likely that others could too, but he wasn’t sure how to test the theory.

“Try taking a picture of them.” Corpse suggested. Sykkuno fished his phone from his pocket, and beckoned Corpse over. “I mean, if yours shows up, I’m sure that mine would.” 

Sykkuno snapped a picture of their hands, and swiped to his gallery. He shouldn’t have been surprised, yet standing there, looking at the photo of his left and Corpse’s, with matching black bands round their ring fingers. He was kind of shocked.

“Oh god.”

“That's a yes then.” Corpse said, looking down at the photo. 

“Well…” Sykkuno said, he couldn’t take his eyes off the photo. “That's going to require some explaining.”

\--

GROUP CHAT

Guess what?

Oh hey Sykkuno

What?

Corpse and I found out that we live near each other.

That’s cool

Cuute!

Are you guys going to hang out?

Yeah, we actually hung out a couple times already.

Aww!!

Yay!

Yeah, we got tattoos.

WAT?

SYKKUNO!

Who are you and what have you done with Sykkuno?

This is fake. He’s just meme-ing guys.

[image]  
There was a two for one deal!

SYKKUNO!?!

Is that on his left…

Get it? I’m the Corpse Bride. Ha!

Sykkuno…

Sykkuno…

They simped so hard they got married.

HAHAHA

Lmao

I cannot believe this. I can’t even-

_i thought it was funny, sykkuno_

Well well well  
Look who decided to show up.

Corpse, what have you done to Sykkuno?  
How could this happen?

_there may have been alcohol involved…_

Corpse! Sykkuno is a total lightweight!

Corpse, I’m disappointed

Take some responsibility, goddamnit!

_i did_

LOL

Technically he did, guys

It’s over

Wow

You guys are insane

At least we’re crazy together though, right Corpse?

_yes, sykkuno_

We’ll be on for games in a couple hours. Corpse is here now.

Omg Sykkuno

_;)_

CORPSE NO

Haven’t you corrupted him enough??

\--

“Have you corrupted me enough?” Sykkuno asked, smiling at the exchange in the group chat.

“Not yet, no.” Corpse replied and he dropped his phone on Sykkuno’s nightstand. Sykkuno tucked his own under the pillow, and allowed Corpse to draw him up so he was seated on the younger man’s hips.

Corpse smiled, enjoying the weight of Sykkuno’s body for a moment, before dragging Sykkuno down for a kiss. Their lips met, and Sykkuno fell into it. He tumbled, heart already aching to get even closer. Then his blood began to warm like they were picking right back up where they’d left off that morning.

Corpse’s hands travelled down his sides, under his arms then dipped beneath the cotton of his shirt to draw all his consciousness to where they sat. They traced down his ribs to rest on his hips. His thumbs rubbed small circles, dipping under the waistband of Sykkuno’s sweatpants and forcing all the blood and burning down to his pelvis. 

Leaving Sykkuno’s empty head to try and kiss and breathe at the same time. At which he was failing miserably. He kept forgetting about one in favour of the other. Kept trying to taste Corpse’s air, instead of breathing his own. 

Corpse groaned. His hips shifted, and all at once Sykkuno felt him, thick and hard underneath him. Sykkuno tried to grind against it, but Corpse’s hand stopped him. Sykkuno pulled back to see why. And he and Corpse panted weakly into the space.

“Uh, Sykkuno?” Corpse spoke softly, a bolt of arousal went straight to his dick at the sound of his voice. “Is this- do you want…?”

“Yes.” Sykkuno breathed. “I mean- if you want to-”

“I do.” Corpse said the words carefully, and looked up at Sykkuno with something a little like hunger in his eyes, but it almost wasn’t the devouring kind. It was softer somehow. Sykkuno kissed him, as it was rather intense to look at.

But it turned out to be just as intense on his tongue. Sykkuno let it flow into him, and fizz the nerves in his spine and to burn away the nervousness, he’d been carrying. He couldn’t question it anymore. What Corpse wanted, or what he wanted. It was all in the open now. Sykkuno had admitted that he was scared, he’d admitted a whole lot of things. 

Corpse kissed him hard, and Sykkuno thumbed the hair around his ears. Corpse rolled his neck back, and his hips up. He wasn’t hesitating. He was blatantly enjoying Sykkuno’s touch. Corpse directed his hips, encouraged friction, took pleasure in the movement. And Sykkuno moved from his mouth to his neck. Corpse’s pulse was thrumming, low like his voice, or maybe that was Sykkuno’s head pounding as he sucked at a spot under his ear. 

Corpse moaned, and Sykkuno’s throat responded without his head giving it the go ahead to do so. He noticed a little more confidence tingled out to his fingertips with the blood rush. He pulled back from Corpse’s throat and fell in love with the little pink mark on it. Sykuno wasn’t quite used to it yet, the wanting, or how overwhelming it got.

He felt Corpse making a play for his shirt, so he pushed back on Corpse’s chest and sat up, arching as Corpse pressed against him at a new angle. Corpse had just the lightest dusting of pink on his cheeks, while Sykkuno felt entirely ruined already. But in the brief reprieve Sykkuno’s head jumped forward, to what was coming.

“I’ve never, uhm- done this with a guy,” Sykkuno admitted. “But uhm- I’ve gotten off with, a- a thing.”

Corpse bit a lip and rolled his hips at the admission. “We don’t have to go that far right now.” He said, voice breathy.

“I want to, if you-”

“Fuck yes.” Corpse’s quick response drew forth a bubble of laughter from Sykkuno. “What do you mean by a thing?” Corpse said with a grin. “An antique?”

Sykkuno shoved his chest and laughed. Corpse chuckled, and Sykkuno pushed his shirt up a little, catching a glimpse of his pale abdomen. Then his eyes darted up to Corpse’s face. “Have you ever done anything with a guy?”

“No, but I’ve been pegged a couple times.” Corpse responded. Sykkuno stiffened, not exactly surprised but very much interested.

“So you know, that uhm-” Sykkuno pushed Corpse’s shirt higher, as if he might find a steadier voice underneath it. “I’ll need,” - Sykkuno reached his chest, and admired the soft dips between the lightly defined muscles. - “I’ll just need your fingers at first.” 

“Yeah,” Corpse responded, he was watching Sykkuno’s face as he explored. He had a crooked grin, not cocky, just pleasantly surprised that Sykkuno wanted to explore him. “Do you want to get naked and sit on my chest? I want to suck your dick.”

The words sent a shooting pulse down his spine out to his toes. He bit the edge of his tongue, trying to remember how to make his head work. But he was pretty sure he nodded. Corpse rocked Sykkuno off his hips, and Sykkuno fell onto his back beside him. Then for a moment they were stuck, each waiting for the other to start stripping.

“You first.” Sykkuno said, as he was currently the only one missing an article of clothing. Corpse smiled, sat up a little and pulled off his shirt. He eased himself back down and Sykkuno, watched every flex on the way down.

Then while Sykkuno was still watching, Corpse reached down and palmed himself through his pants. Sykkuno caught the thick outline, and the muscle tightening in his arm, and the way his eyes stayed glued to Sykkuno’s face.

“Take the rest off.” Corpse said. The words demanded where his tone pleaded. In the back of Sykkuno's mind he realized that he maybe should have been embarrassed, or insecure with Corpse's eyes on him. But he gravel in his voice, and the softness behind the it made him want to give in. Sykkuno closed his eyes and sucked in a steadying breath, and the rest came off.

For a moment, he and Corpse were just next to one another, naked in the daylight. And Sykkuno was so distracted by that fact, that he forgot to be self conscious.

“Fuck, you’re so pretty Sy.” Corpse murmured. Sykkuno met his eye, and the want was stronger now than it had ever been. “Come here.” 

Sykkuno’s skin, his face, his chest, they were too hot. His head was too fuzzy. He could do little more than let Corpse guide him back to position, back to straddling his chest. Then suddenly, or maybe not suddenly, maybe it was inevitable from this position. Sykkuno felt hot breath over his dick. He felt the muscles in his pelvis twitch involuntarily. And Sykkuno propped his forearm against the wall above the bed so he could hide his flushed cheeks in the crook of it.

Looking down was too much, hot but the kind of hot that made his stomach squirm. Corpse's hands were firm on his hip. Then he felt a squeeze, felt those hands forcing Sykkuno's attention to what he was doing. Sykkuno looked. And Corpse was all dark lust-drunk eyes, as his lips pressed to the divet of his hip. Then Sykkuno’s cock dragged against his cheek as he backed away. 

He hid his face again, definitely too much. There was a pop-cap and something cold being pressed and spread over the sensitive nerves. His heart was pounding incredibly loud in his ears. And the tip of his dick touched something soft and hot. And Sykkuno peeked out from his folded arm just as he was being swallowed by the warm wet heat of Corpse’s mouth.

Sykkuno cried out, then bit his arm against the sound. He squeezed his eyes shut, as a flare burst in his pelvis.

Corpse took him all the way to the base and held Sykkuno there in his mouth, while his finger stroked and prodded, and then pressed in ever so slightly. Sending a bolt of arousal up to the base of his skull, tightening his shoulders and arching his spine as it went.

Sykkuno panted, it was overwhelming. Every fractional movement. His head was full up with the flashes of images. Corpse’s mouth opening to accept him, Corpse’s hands, his fingers. And the images came with sensation, and so much wanting. So much wanting he was swollen with it.

Sykkuno tested a flex of his hips, he needed more. It earned him a small sound of approval from Corpse’s throat, as his mouth was unable to voice it. The sound made Sykkuno’s head spark, and the drag of Corpse’s tongue made more.

Corpse encouraged the rocking of Sykkuno’s hips with the edging of his finger. Sykkuno wanted more, but he couldn’t seem to catch a breath to ask for it. It was so close to being enough, and the slide over Corpse’s tongue was mind-numbingly perfect. Then Corpse was working in another thick finger, and his other hand gripped Sykkuno’s hips to pull him deeper into his throat.

Corpse’s gravelly groan was cut off, and Sykkuno deliberately pulled back with his hips wanting badly to hear it. The movement drove fingers deeper inside him. His head clouded with the stretch, and then he felt Corpse trying to get his cock back to the tight ring of his throat again.

“Corpse,” Sykkuno breathed, voice and heart weak. Corpse pulled back, and looked up at him, eyes lidded low, and slightly rimmed red from the work. “Y- your throat. I don’t want to hurt you.” 

Corpse bit his lip, and Sykkuno felt his fingers press very gently against a spot inside him that sent a surge through him like he might cum right then and there. 

Sykkuno arched. “Fuck.”

Corpse gasped, and his dark lashes fell. He shivered. “You just-” 

Sykkuno’s heart pounded, and he could think of nothing but doing it again. Making Corpse to shiver, just like that. So he pulled off Corpse’s fingers. 

He couldn’t stay where he was, or Corpse would drive him to orgasm. And he desperately wanted to make Corpse understand how that felt. He wanted Corpse to look up at him with his pretty night-sky eyes. He wanted Corpse to be as undone as he was. So, bracing himself on Corpse’s chest, he shifted down. 

“Can I-” Sykkuno held out a hand and Corpse squeezed some lube onto his fingers. Sykkuno closed his fist around Corpse’s dick and it earned him another gasp. “Sorry, is it cold?”

“No, uhm- it’s your hand is- it’s really hot.” Sykkuno felt the compliment in his whole being. Corpse was stuttering worse than he did. Sykkuno loved it. Was it the curse? Had it thrown Corpse off a little bit? Sykkuno moved his wrist while he considered it, stroking Corpse even fuller. 

Corpse’s breaths came in uneven gasps. “Sykkuno, I- I’m good. You don’t need to- Ah!” 

Corpse bit back a moan as Sykkuno stroked a spot just beneath the head. Sykkuno held out a hand for the condom and carefully opened it with his one non-slippery hand, and rolled it on. Then with a hand still on the base of Corpse’s dick, Sykkuno positioned it underneath him. 

He exhaled against his squirming nervous stomach, latching onto the needy empty feeling that had come when he’d lost Corpse’s fingers. He let his head be filled by the quick breaths that fell from Corpse’s lips. A pattern, a rhythm, something to hold onto as his own pulse thrummed erratically. It was there, he could feel it against him, so hard in his hand. Corpse’s cock turned out to be thicker than his fingers. It breached and stretched him, and Sykkuno’s breath came rough and ragged as he sunk down onto it. 

“S-slow, Sy.” Corpse pleaded, as if he was the one being impaled.

Sykkuno had to stop halfway, he fell forwards over Corpse and kissed him. Corpse’s mouth was tender now, so full of adoration. He was being gentle and careful, like he was rooting between Sykkuno’s ribs, just to make his heart throb. Sykkuno eased himself down. It came close to hurting, but Corpse was terribly patient. He kept his eyes on Sykkuno’s face, and bit down on his tongue as Sykkuno took him deeper. And it went on until Corpse was settled inside of him. 

“Fuck Corpse.” Sykkuno whispered, lips at his ear. Corpse stiffened, like a wave had rolled through, rocking him. “I’m so full.”

Corpse groaned his name.

Sykkuno carefully pushed himself up off Corpse’s muscular chest, back to a seated position. He really was intensely full. Every movement sent little white-out fireworks up to his brain, they burned and lit other things up so that they burned, and he wanted more of it.

“So full.” Sykkuno repeated, head too swimmy to make better words, and Corpse met his eye. His hands were on Sykkuno’s hips, not urging him to move, rather they seemed to be urging him to stay still. “Full with your cock.”

Corpse rolled his head back and his grip tightened on Sykkuno’s hips, locking him in place. And the sound he made, had Sykkuno’s cock throbbing. They were each trying to catch breath, each trying to accommodate the intensity. Then Corpse’s grip loosened and Sykkuno started to move. 

He rolled his hips, and Corpse’s cock brushed against that one spot. They both groaned. Sykkuno made it happen, again, and again. He was panting with the effort, it was all he could think about. The mind-rending sensation, and Corpse’s sounds.

“Sykkuno, you- I-” Corpse stuttered, and his fractured breaths filled in the pauses. “If you keep- I’ll- I- I don’t want to-”

“Make me cum first.” Sykkuno responded, voicing the only thought in his head. Corpse stopped his hips, panting with the effort. 

“Give me a sec, fuck.” His eyes held lust and awe, and Sykkuno felt a rush from weakness in his voice.

But he couldn’t wait, instead of actual thrusts he just ground the cockhead inside him against that spot, edging himself while Corpse gasped and groaned trying to still him, or control himself. Sykkuno couldn’t think, his body wanted so badly to make Corpse feel good. 

“Make me cum on your cock.” Sykkuno said. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew the words would affect Corpse, and he wanted to see it unfold. 

Corpse shivered and his muscles tensed. He fucked into Sykkuno weakly, like he couldn’t stop his body from doing so. Then Corpse’s hand was on his cock, and the other was on the back of Sykkuno’s neck dragging him down into a kiss. Words couldn’t escape but their sounds still could. Corpse’s panting and moaning mixed with Sykkuno’s whines as his hips rocked, grinding against that spot sending waves and waves of white hot shock up to burst behind Sykkuno’s eyes. 

Corpse’s arm locked around his waist, holding him while he fucked himself, to the rhythm of their racing hearts. Corpse thrust into him, and Sykkuno into his hand. Sykkuno was achingly close. Frighteningly close, and Corpse was just shy of completely losing himself. 

Sykkuno brought his hand up and spanned his thumb round Corpse’s throat. Then, without an ounce of pressure, Sykkuno kissed him, and Corpse came hard. 

It was Corpse's shocked and broken sob that sent Sykkuno over the edge. His hips spasmed and the muscle tightened around him, while Sykkuno’s body was wrecked by his own orgasm. It was thick pulses, squeezing his spine, then bursting inside his head. Corpse’s tongue was in his mouth, tasting the sparks, while Sykkuno slowed and shivered, exquisitely overwhelmed.

When he could, Sykkuno eased himself up and off, rescuing them both from the near painful aftershocks. They didn’t speak at first. Only breathed through the dissipating high. Corpse’s composure was shot, he looked weak, vulnerable, and Sykkuno kissed his bruised cheek carefully.

“Oh my god, Sykkuno.”

Sykkuno smiled, Corpse’s voice was barely there. “I- uh- I hope that was okay.”

“Fu- uck Sykkuno.” Corpse groaned, sounding amused and amazed at the same time. “What was that?”

Sykkuno kissed him again, lower on the jaw, then nuzzled his face into Corpse’s neck. “What?”

He glanced up at Corpse and found a look being directed at him. A look that said he should know exactly what Corpse was talking about. “You mean the uh- the talking?”

“Yes.” Corpse said, half grinning at the memory. 

“Oh- uh- I don’t know.” Sykkuno replied, feeling suddenly self-conscious about it. “It seemed like- you sort of liked it, so uh- I just- I’m sorry. I should have checked with you first.”

“I am in love with you.” Corpse murmured, eyes half closed. Then as if he’d only just heard himself talk, he shook his head. “I- I mean-”

Sykkuno didn’t give him a chance to take it back. “I love you too.” 

It was something they both knew they shouldn’t say. And yet, it really didn’t feel wrong, it felt like the rightest thing in the world at that moment. 

“You, uh, you don’t have to, you know-” Corpse said carefully. “Just cause we’re spirit married doesn’t mean we’re-”

“Dating?” Sykkuno asked. Corpse snorted a laugh. “Are you still going to be in love with me, when you aren’t all high on nice brain chemicals?” 

“Yeah.” Corpse said, without a hint of hesitation. Then his brows furrowed a little like he'd had a thought that was somewhat uncomfortable. “But Sykkuno, you know, that I’m chronically ill. I’m not really- I don’t know- I’m not really in a place where I can date.”

“That’s okay.” Sykkuno lazily kissed the little pink mark he'd accidentally left on Corpse's throat. 

“I mean I’m agoraphobic.” Corpse went on, his voice was a croak, almost as if it too was trying to show off how ill he was. “I’m unwell, can hardly take care of myself, let alone another person. I’m not going to be good for you.”

“Are you trying to convince me to spirit divorce you?” Sykkuno said. “Because I wouldn’t know how even if I wanted to.”

“No,” Corpse chuckled, and Sykuno felt him press a kiss into his hair. “I’m just letting you know that I don’t know if I’m going to be a good human boyfriend.” 

“You don’t have to be my human boyfriend," Sykkuno yawned. "You just have to be my spirit husband.”

“Meaning?”

“We don’t have to do things, how normal people do things.” Sykkuno said, sort of coming to the realization as he said it aloud. “Nothing about this… is really normal. We can figure it out as we go.”

“Just wing it?” Corpse said with a low chuckle. “That’s how we ended up married in the first place.” 

“Yeah.” Sykkuno said, as his wrung out muscles began to ache. "I'm glad that happened."

“Me too.” Corpse admitted. Then he cupped Sykkuno’s cheek to press a tender kiss to his lips. And Sykkuno couldn’t help but smile into it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!
> 
> Alright guys, this is it. I’m like… a little heartbroken that it’s over. I don’t have plans for more at this time, but I’ve also left some things open for me when I inevitably start missing it, Lol. Overall, I’m pretty proud of how this story turned out, and I’ve had an absolute blast sharing it with all of you!
> 
> If you have time and you liked the story, maybe leave a review so that I know what I did well, and what I could do better moving forward. Concrit welcome.
> 
> ...
> 
> Postscript ramble time! In my head, Dazai stays with Corpse for a couple of years, just sleeping on and off. Sometimes Corpse just sits on the couch and gives scritches. And when Corpse’s pain gets bad, Dazai lends him his face for a bit, just to give him a break. This information is not plot necessary in any way but I thought I would share it with anyone that reads this far. Lol. Dazai literally started out as just a whatever character, and now he’s like the best OC I’ve written outside of Mr. Whiskers.
> 
> Looking ahead, I think it’s fairly likely I’ll do something with the whole Corpse can see Yokai now thing. Anyone up for Jack, Sykkuno, Corpse and Dazai - ghostbusters? (I mean Yokai hunters) Lol. But I’m also struggling with a slowburn DreamNotFound fic that desperately wants to be written. Alas, my rule I have set for myself, is that I can only post things that I can finish, and both this ghostbusters thing, and the DreamNotFound thing are big. 
> 
> Ah! this ramble got too long. Uh, I also wrote some Danny/Drew/Kurtis stuff, if anyone has any interest in that, or maybe consider subscribing to me as a user, if any of my future fic ideas interest you. Thank you again for all the support this fic got, and hopefully I’ll see you all next time! :)


End file.
